Cause I'm Stupid Like This
by xXDark.Lord.MeloniousXx
Summary: When you've held your feelings for a person so long inside, eventually they will bubble and burst. When that occurs, you'd risk anything for that person...no matter what time or place you're in. Time, You ask? Read to understand. RoyxRiza and EdxWinry R
1. Chapter 1: Forgetting

**Hiya, here's my first FMA fanfic, err...i dunno if Hughes has to ask Roy for anything, and i probably tampered with...a butt-load of their pasts, but...it doesnt matter, because this idea has been in my head for far too long and my brain will spontaniously combust if i dont write it. So...here it is...the first chapter, hope you guys like it. **

Roy was sitting at his desk as usual, writing with one hand, sifting through papers with another. The work was boring and overwhelming, and he found himself looking at Riza most of the time. He couldn't stop himself. He loved the way her blonde hair fell over her forehead and tied back slickly, looking smooth and shiny.

Her dark brown eyes were holding a staring contest with her work, and her serious expression broke his heart. He let go of the papers he had been holding, letting his hand rest against the paper he had been writing on. He played with his pen as he let his cheek slump in his other palm while he admired her.

_She has stood by me…for so long…even when I…pushed her away…_

He thought back to all of the times he hadn't said what was truly on his mind. He remembered all of the moments when she wanted to help, but he pushed her away, wanting never to hurt her with his dark memories. He wanted her to hear him, and he wanted to mean more to her than just a Colonel, but he could get in immense trouble for just thinking such a thing.

He still gazed at her, though. He wondered why she would join this government. A beautiful girl, young, smart and caring…did she need this? She had the whole world out there, begging for people like her. People with perfect figures who catch on fast, who have hidden talents, who can care for even the lowest of creatures. That was him, then? The lowest of low. That's right.

There was suddenly a knock at the door. He watched his beautiful lieutenant rise from her desk and walk off to the door. His arm moved from under his chin as he watched the door open and Maes Hughes walk in.

"Hughes." Mustang stated heavily as he rose

"Colonel. I'm requesting the day off tomorrow." Maes suggested seriously

"Why?" Mustang asked darkly

"It's my daughter's birthday! We're taking her to a diner, then we're heading off to…"

Hughs rattled on with his plans for his beloved daughter. When he was finally finished reciting the lovely schedule of his daughter's birthday, Mustang looked to Hughes with a smirk and soft eyes replying,

"Of course, then, Hughes."

"Thanks a bunch, Colonel!" Hughs chirped as he walked out, leaving Roy and Riza alone yet again.

"That was kind of you, Colonel." Riza slipped out simply

"You think it's kindness to allow a father to spend time with his child?" Roy asked curiously

"In an important job it's hard to connect with family, when the world is counting on you to be perfectly put together in the government. I think it's kind that you allow him breaks to spend time and connect with that family, sir." She responded softly

"Don't call me 'Sir' when we're alone, Riza, it makes us sound like strangers." Mustang told her

"But, Colonel, I always-" she was cut off though

"No 'Colonel' either…you know what I mean, Riza." He said as he sat down again and sifted through his papers, scribbling notes and studying his work.

"Uh…yes, sir—I mean…Roy." She said awkwardly

He looked up to her and smiled as he asked, "Remember when we were young?"

"S-…Roy, we still are young, we're just not getting younger." Riza told him with a chuckle

Roy laughed softly and added, "You barely knew me, yet you could always give me my favorite tea…how'd you know?'

"That's barely relevant." Riza said raising her eyebrows to him with a smile

"When I was young and in your home, you made me tea. The best goddamn tea I've ever had, and I still have the pleasure of receiving it every day at work, and now you better tell me how you knew what tea I liked." Mustang ordered, cocking an eyebrow and leaning on his forearms as he watched her sit down at her desk.

"Well, thank you, but a magician, Roy, never reveals her secrets." She replied suavely

"I'll found out somehow, mark my words." He threatened with a smirk

"Yes, well, I'll love to see how you go about doing that." She added with a purse of her lips

Mustang admired her smile. He loved to see her laughing and enjoying herself. He knew she deserved so much more than the wretched fate of state alchemists and sitting at desks mowing through death certificates and files upon files of serial killers. Riza laughed suddenly, Mustang fell out of his train of sad thoughts and asked, "What's so funny?"

"Can't you hear them?" she laughed out, shaking her head

Mustang finally heard it…

"YOU HAVE GOT TO STOP THROWING WRENCHES; IT IS A SICK, FREAKISH WAY OF DISCIPLINE!"

"WELL, YOU'VE GOTTA STOP MESSING UP MY BEAUTIFUL AUTOMAIL!"

"Guys…can you please stop fighti-"

"SHUT UP, AL, IT'S ALL WINRY'S FAULT ANYWAY, SHE SHOULD'VE CALMED DOWN WITH AGE, BUT SHE JUST KEEPS GETTING MORE IMMATURE!"

"AUGH! EDWARD, YOU ARE SUCH AN AS—"

The door opened with the Elrics and their good friend Winry. Winry smiled and didn't finish her rant as they entered the room.

"You could've knocked." Mustang suggested coolly

Ed glared and replied, "Yeah? Well, I've got some things I'd like to discuss with you, Colonel."

"Riza, will you take leave for now?" Mustang asked politely

"Of course, sir. Al, Winry, please join me." Riza stated softly as she rose and led the two out of the room.

They stood outside the door, glancing to one another. Winry looked to Riza and stated, "I'm sorry for yelling in the halls, he's just…aggravating."

Riza knew, from that one statement that there was anger in Winry for something more than simply disturbing her automail. Riza had a feeling, from that one sentence, that Winry was in love with Ed.

"Ah…well, no mind. It's not the first time people have stormed down these hallways screaming at each other. Even though it may sound it, that's no joke."

Riza remembered vividly walking down the halls with Mustang before he was a colonel. Both of them were very young, but smart and had made it together. Mustang was laughing loudly and cruelly at something she had done earlier that day. Something potentially embarrassing if spread around, though she couldn't remember what it was. It was probably something foolish to be so upset over, something she'd most likely laugh on now if she could recall what it was.

"No, Roy! Stop laughing! You're terrible!" She complained to him

He was holding his forehead, his head leaning back laughing with a huge, open smile.

"ROY! You're such a jerk!" she cried out to him

He turned to her, letting his laughter die out into a wide smile as he turned to her.

"I'm going to tell everyone!" Roy teased

Riza finally took out her guns, but Roy caught her wrists and ended up pinning her to the wall behind them.

His handsome face was dreadfully close to hers as she vividly remembered his lips mumble words that broke across her, "I was just kidding."

She remembered blushing crimson under his hold. She hated being manhandled and she especially hated being manhandled by Roy. He was just so terribly handsome and smart. She found that day that she didn't hate being manhandled by Roy; the real issue was that she hated not hating Roy manhandling her. She hated that she didn't want to fight him off and she hated that she never minded losing to Roy.

She shook herself out of her daydreams, catching the last of Winry's giggling as Al asked, "How long have you known Colonel Mustang?"

"A long, long time, I knew him when I was younger than Winry now." Riza replied with a smile

"Wow, so you knew him before you were involved with the government?" Winry questioned

"Yes, he's a very close friend of mine." She told Winry

Riza tried to remember exactly when she had given him the first cup of homemade tea he came to love. She couldn't remember. She could recall the precise moment she had given him that first cup, but she remembered once she saw he liked it, she gave him a mug of it every day.

A change, so drastic. Once in history turned to everyday from that day on…she'd remember it, some how. She'd get to it soon.


	2. Chapter 2: Admitting

Eventually Edward walked out of the room, and leaving the room in a foul mood, as he usually did. Riza waved good-bye to the group as they walked down the hall. She found herself distracted. She was staring at Ed and Winry walking alongside each other and it made her feel sad. She couldn't place why right then, because Roy's voice echoed to her,

"Hawkeye?" He called to her

She looked back to him through the open doors mumbling, "Oh, sorry, Colonel."

She closed the door as she walked back in and sat her desk. She saw Mustang's sending her a cocked eyebrow from the corner of her eye, but she dare not look. She didn't want him to somehow read her thoughts.

"Would you like to take off for lunch with me?"

Her face went red as she looked up to Roy. She was being unusually emotional today and she couldn't understand why.

"S-sir?" She stuttered

"Roy, Riza, and I asked whether or not you'd like to join me on my lunch break." He repeated

She flustered a little more as she replied, "It would be a privilege, Sir, I mean…Roy."

He sent her a sad smile as he added, "Well get your coat then."

She stood immediately, fetching his and her coat from the rack. She turned around from the rack to find he was directly behind her. Her grace faltered for a moment as she gripped their coats tightly to her chest quickly out of surprise. She breathed out heavily and handed him his coat.

He sported a coy smile as he slipped it over his shoulders and opened the door. She buttoned her last few buttons and walked out of the room behind him. She was walking next to him as Hughes and Fury passed them. They looked with raised eyebrows and surprised expressions, implying romantic theories in their minds.

Mustang pretended to not notice as they strode past the rubbernecking coworkers. Riza looked straight ahead as well, trying to look professional, as she usually does. She wondered if that was one of the reasons Roy never noticed her the way she wanted him to. Even when they were young, everything was always strictly business.

She moved her gaze to him. His confident smile and dark, slanted eyes, sparkling with black, shining ambition. Her breath silently got caught in her throat as he returned the look. Her mind raced with nothingness as she opened her mouth to make up some wild excuse as to why she was ogling him, but instead turned away, looking forward again.

Roy's smile widened as they walked down the stairs that led to the streets. They walked in comfortable silence until she watched his arm stretch outward and his gloved hand point out into the grey gloominess of the day. She looked out that way as he announced, "The restaurant…would you like to go to that one, or do you have your own favorite lunch spot you'd like to take me to?"

She blushed again as they held eye contact. She smiled softly to him and replied softly,

"I'd love to go to the restaurant."

He blushed suddenly, and too quickly to hide it. His confident, playboy smirk had faded into a a pout of awe. The loving tone of her soft voice had caught him off guard.

"Alright then." He said, trying to regain all of the composure he had lost

He led her to the restaurant where they sat in a booth together. They shed their coats onto the red cushions of the booth seats. Riza picked up her menu quickly, eagerly awaiting a tasty lunch. Mustang followed suit, even though he already had a regular here, and he didn't plan on changing it. He used it much more to spy at Riza over, so he wasn't simply gawking at her.

The waitress came over and took Riza's order, then looked to Roy with a sexy smirk and asked sensually, "The regular, Mustang?"

Mustang quickly replied, "Yes, thank you."

The waitress walked off and Roy found himself looking at the dessert menu, when he felt something following him. He looked up to find it was Riza's glare.

"What?" He asked innocently

"Nothing, Sir." She replied calmly as she seemed to start searching for something in her coat pocket.

"I told you not to call me that when we were alone, and I know something is wrong." He grinded his teeth

She looked up to him suddenly, fighting the urge to seethe in aggravation. She hated how he acted like he didn't know. She knew he knew why she was angry. That hussy had just come over and made a hidden move on him! Not only that, he took with stride! She hated it, just hated it.

"There's nothing wrong, Roy." She repeated

"Don't insult my intelligence, Riza, now tell me what's wrong." He snapped

She bushed and angrily still scrambled her hands around in her coat pocket, still not finding what she needed.

"There's no intelligence to insult, Roy, if I have to spell it out to you."

Roy was taken aback by her comment and shifted back, finally realizing he had been leaning over on his elbows and forearms. He cocked an eyebrow as he asked,

"Are you bothered about that waitress flirting with me?"

She looked up from her rummaging and replied coolly, "I-I'm not angry that she was flirting with you I just…"

She caught glimpse of his meaningful gaze. She found herself lost in his eyes for a moment and trailed off. She finally sunk out of her girlish daze and brushed it off with a blush adding,

"I just think that you lead women on, then act as if there was nothing ever there."

"You think I've spoken to that woman before?"

"She called you Mustang, so I assume you've met with her before." Riza responded softly as she went back to searching in a different pocket

"That's true, I've met her before, but I hold, nor have I ever held, any interest in her whatsoever."

Riza raised her eyebrow incredulously as she murmured, "That's not the impression she's under."

"Riza, I'm not here to spend time thinking or socializing with anyone but you." He announced kindly

Riza was surprised at his patience as she looked up to him with pink cheeks. Right now, she was the only woman on his mind; the only woman he cared for at this very moment was her and her alone. That meant more to her than he could ever know.

The waitress came by again, setting down their meals and coffees. She bent down near Mustang as she lowered his plate, clearly trying to catch his attention with her breasts, but he held a loving gaze with Riza. The waitress had moved a gaze to him as she said, "Here it is, Mustang."

He raised a hand, as if to shoo her and replied softly without moving his eyes from Riza,

"Yes, thank you."

The woman seemed greatly offended and embarrassed as she moved away and clattered her heals in her storming. Riza didn't break their eye contact until she felt her hand reach what she had been looking for the whole time. She broke away from him and took out of her pocket.

She looked down and dialed something in on the golden watch before her.

"What are you doing?" Mustang asked simply as he settled back and began to eat

"I'm making sure that a little alarm goes off when we have to go, so if I forget to consistently check the clock near the entrance, I'll have something to tell me." She replied

"Ah, counting the minutes, are you? I'm really so unpleasant?" He asked with a chuckle

She shot her shocked expression to him, waving a hand in denial as she admitted, "No, Roy, not at all! I love spending time with you, I just want to make sure we don't lose are jobs! That way we can do it again!"

She liked spending time with him? No, she _loved_ spending time with him. Not only that, she wanted to do it again.

"I'm glad, in that case."

She smiled, settling her watch on the table as she let her fork clink against her plate. She watched Mustang eat, even though he didn't notice she was studying him. She looked out for every ingredient in his sub and how it was made as he chomped into it over and over.

Mustang decided to break the comfortable silence to asked,

"Why don't you wear the watch?"

She looked up to him, taking a dainty bite off of her fork with a soft clinking noise. She swallowed nearly silently as she replied,

"It's not a woman's watch, it was my father's."

He smiled and stated, "That's cute."

She nearly choked at the statement as she looked up to him and asked, "What?"

"I think it's cute that you hold onto it all day." He repeated with a smile, not looking up

She beamed and flustered as she replied, "Thank you."

They continued their break sipping at coffee and they ended up splitting a napoleon cake. They both reddened as they shared the cake, though. They knew they looked like a couple lovingly sharing sweets. They continued conversation through the entire break, trying to leave work out of the discussions.

Eventually Mustang was grinning gallantly, for he had struck Riza's funny bone, and as she laughed her watch sang a happy tune. She let her laughter die out to a soft giggle as Mustang smiled and suggested, "I suppose that means we should get back to the office."

She smiled sadly, replying, "I suppose so."

He rose, and they argued for a good ten minutes over who was paying, when Mustang was forced to split the bill. He was walking with her as it began to drizzle lightly. He was scowling when he hadn't noticed Riza's surveying of him. She laughed and he looked to her, confused as they reached the stairs, asking, "What's funny?"

She looked to him, attempting to cover her grin, as she told him, "I know you hate the rain, but when you pout like that, you're too cute, Roy."

Roy blushed, dropping his unintentional pout. He let it transform into a smile as they walked up the stairs and he replied, "Thank you, Hawkeye."

She let her giggling die out into her sad smile again. She missed him calling her Riza as he had done all day. She was grateful, though, for the time she had spent with him that day.

They walked back into the building, looking professional and serious again. They walked back into Mustang's office, hung their coats and returned to their working agendas.

"I'd like to do that again, sometime, Hawkeye." Roy announced, looking through papers

She looked up from her file-searching and smiled, replying softly, "Me too, Sir."


	3. Chapter 3: Forgiving

The next day Mustang was sitting in his office all alone. He was sad when Riza wasn't there. Her presence would always lighten his gloomy mood. His dark mood today was only blackened when it began to pour rain like a hurricane outside the office. He would glance sadly out his window every now and again, to end up glaring at Fuery or Havoc and start yelling at them.

He was tapping his pen on some papers, wondering where his lovely lieutenant could be. It was unlike her to be even the ten minutes late she was. He blushed thinking of yesterday. He recalled her feminine laughter and her loving gaze. He gloated inwardly over the fact she had called him 'cute'. He had received many admirers over the years, none of which gave him a simple compliment that he had appreciated as much as the one she had given him.

He sat up eagerly as he heard the door creak. His coworkers prayed it was the blonde lieutenant that seemed to be their Colonel's only source of happiness in days as these. To Colonel Mustang's grave disappointment and the group's worry, it was only Breda who wandered in.

Mustang frowned at the entrance of his friend and slumped in his chair again, tapping his pen.

Havoc walked over to Mustang's desk and asked partly sarcastically, "You're especially blue today, Sir, anything you want to talk about?"

"Not particularly, Havoc." Roy responded shortly

Havoc smirked and leaned further onto Roy's desk asking innocently, "Are you sad that Lieutenant Hawkeye isn't here?"

"Don't talk to me as if I'm two." Mustang ordered angrily

"But are you?" Havoc insisted

Roy sighed through grinding teeth and replied, "Yes, Havoc, I'm sad that my Lieutenant isn't here yet."

Havoc smiled as if he had uncovered some great discovery as he entwined his fingers under his chin, looking girlish and fairy-like as he fluttered his eyelashes and asked,

"Do you miss me when I'm gone?"

Mustang glared at Havoc when Riza finally entered the room. She was soaking wet and her hair was looking slicker than usual, but much more loose than Roy was used to. Havoc left Mustang's desk with a smirk painted on his face as Riza hung her coat on the rack.

Mustang was relieved to see her lieutenant and felt the sad aura lift off from him. He smiled nearly invisibly as he asked, "Why are you late, Hawkeye?"

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I was…held up with something very important." She walked over to her desk and retrieved a handkerchief and began to slide it over her face patiently.

"Well, that's fine for today, but please call when…" He trailed off

He was watching her remove her blue, uniform jacket and place it's dripping image over her chair. He silently gulped ogling her skintight black shirt hug her womanly curves, which he was usually deprived of. He admired the perfectly rounded black orbs that bounced slightly with each move she made.

"Sir?" She asked curiously

He snapped back to reality and continued with a cough, "Ah, yes, I was going to say to call when you get held up. I was worried about you."

She smiled and pink filled her cheeks as she replied, "Yes, Sir, I'm sorry to have worried you."

He returned her gentle smile as he watched her sit down at her desk and get straight to work. Havoc and Fuery were glancing to each other with smirks as they went back to work.

The day trudged on with tiresome, boring files upon files that needed reading and editing. Mustang found himself completely unattached, though. He was much more interested in watching Ms. Hawkeye's eyes flicker from one end of the papers to another. He would have much rather had a job of admiring her soft hands slide over file cases and gently grip pens. He would like to have watched her silky, thick blonde hair fall over her ears and forehead all day if he could've.

It was afternoon soon enough and his much awaited lunch break had finally arrived. He stood and went to the coat rack, glancing to the weather outside his window. The rain had stopped and it seemed to be clearing up outside. He was buttoning his coat when he asked simply,

"Would you like to join me again, Hawkeye?"

She smiled and rose from her seat. Without replying she grabbed her dried coat and walked out of the building with him once again, though she never put the coat on. Roy began to walk off towards the restaurant they had gone to the previous day, but he blushed wildly at the feel of her hold on his arm.

He turned to her; she was looking away with girlish embarrassment while she clung to his arm with her own. Her other arm held a cooler-like box. He glanced to the box then back to her as she seemed to mutter, "It's my turn to take you somewhere I go for lunch."

He smiled and relaxed in her hold. She released him, though, after that. He was greatly disappointed when he felt her slip from under his arm, but followed her. He found himself terribly lost, though. She finally looked at him after a ten minute walk and she told him softly, "I'll show you my favorite spot."

He looked beyond them, where Riza was headed. It was a park. A calm park, though. There were people walking pets and a small percentage of children were playing what seemed to be tag, or perhaps hide and seek. All Mustang could gather, though, was there was someone all of the children were running from screaming and laughing.

He followed Riza to a tall oak tree that sat a few feet away from a soaked bench. The bench was perched looking out to the pond that held home for ducks and geese that swam by them. Roy looked to Riza, finally, after taking in all of the scenery. He looked to the ground and asked, "Won't it be wet?"

She settled her "mysterious" box on the ground and pulled out a thick, though small, blanket that was neatly folded inside. She whipped it out and snapped it on the ground a couple of times before letting it rest flatly on the grass. She sat down and pulled the box next to her as she urged him, with a patting hand to sit against the tree.

He smiled and followed suit. He sat down and rested against the oak tree. The sunlight was finally breaking through and was hitting him with such direct light that he took his coat and blue jacket off, and rested it near him on the grass. He let his blue jacket stay dry within his coat's hold. He asked, then, "Where are we getting lunch?"

She smiled and turned to her box of answers and turned back around with a basket. He blushed…she had made him lunch? That…that was so sweet of her. Was that what made her late today?

She looked to him, suddenly. She smiled and stated, "Close your eyes."

"What?"

She took out a blindfold from her basket and looked to him pleadingly and repeated, "Close your eyes, please."

He suddenly felt a nervous gulp in his throat, but he ignored it and allowed himself to trust her. He closed his eyes and felt her tie the fold around him. He was very nervous, and grew cherry red when he heard her ask, "Now open your mouth."

He did as she told him, not wanting to speak, he had an eerie feeling that his voice would crack under the pressure. He suddenly tasted, though, something surprisingly delicious. He munched and savored the perfect seasoning, and when he finally swallowed he lifted the blindfold over one eye and asked, "Did you make me my sub?"

She smiled and asked, "How did you like it?"

He blushed and beamed, replying, "It's amazing, I can't believe you went to all of this trouble."

"It was no trouble, Roy." She responded kindly

"But you really didn't have to-" he was cut off, though

"Exactly, I didn't have to, I wanted to."

He blushed a little more as she uncovered her own homemade sub. They ate and discussed family and what they were planning to do for their weekend. He had discussed how he would be bringing home the paperwork he couldn't finish in the office and would dread over it at home.

She looked up to him with a sparkling innocence in her eyes. He nearly gulped at the beautiful image of it. She reached into her basket and brought out a tray with a cover of it. He was eager to see what else she had cooked, seeing as how everything else she had made (lemonade, his sub and her delicious looking one) was amazing. She lifted the cover and revealed soft, melt-in-your-mouth homemade chocolate chip cookies. He nearly drooled at the very sight of it.

She pushed the tray towards him, insisting silently that he take the first one. He happily reached forward and tasted it. It was just as amazing as it looked, if not more.

_Who ever marries her is a lucky son of a bitch…_

When that thought came to mind he flustered, but was caught off guard by Riza announcing something incoherent through her cookie-munching. He chuckled and asked, "What?"

He swallowed what he had chewed and looked to her as she finished hastily and repeated with a sigh, "I said, that I think it's dreadful that you take your work home with you. It's already hard to bear in the office."

"Well…you should quit." He suggested on impulse

"What?" She asked incredulously

"You should quit the force, Riza." He repeated with no change of unreadable expression

"You don't want me there?" She sounded like a hunted animal when she replied with her question.

He became alarmed and stammered, "N-No, no, that's not it at all, Riza…it's just…"

"Roy, you really don't want me to-"

"No! Riza, that's not it! I want you to be happy…and this job…it changes the beautiful things in people." He finally stated

"I don't underst-"

"You're beautiful inside, Riza…you're really beautiful inside…and I never want anything you see or do to change you into something you weren't meant to be." He interrupted

She blushed, in shock as she replied shyly, "Thank you…Roy, but…I joined the force to protect someone dear to me, and I will not quit. Because when…when I quit…it will mean, that I've given up all that I can do for that person, which isn't a lot. I can't ever seem to do anything for them, because I can't do what I want…so I do little things here and there to help them, but…but it's never enough…and it's never going to be enough for me."

She laid her palm and fingers across her forehead and gasped a held-back sob.

Roy inwardly yelled at himself as he reached out to her and asked, "Riza?"

He didn't touch her and he regretted that, but she looked up, breathing deeply to keep from crying. "I'm fine, Roy…I'll be fine, I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry, Riza…it was wrong of me to tell you something like that…I just…I don't want you to ever lose what makes you precious to the world."

She smiled to him and leaned over. He was immensely surprised to feel her warm arms wrap themselves through his underarms and grip his shoulders from behind. He was blushing furiously, feeling her rest in his open lap. She was always so tough, strong and serious. He was relieved to find that there was an emotional side of her…it made him feel good, because now he knew there was always something he could help with.

Since she never seemed to have an emotional tremors, there was never anything that he needed to act on as a friend, but now…now he knows it's there and they happen…he liked that.

He hugged her back. She reddened as she felt his anticipated, strong, warm arms wrap around her and hold her to him. She cuddled against the crook in his neck, trying to prove how much she appreciated his loving attention. She finally broke from him, and ignored the fact that his masculine, strong, though gentle, hands were still placed firmly on her hips.

"Thank you, Roy." She murmured

He blushed and replied, "You're welcome, Riza."

They sat there smiling at each other, when they felt a drizzle begin to fall. The sun was still beaming heat unto them, as Riza rose and announced, "Sun shower."

He looked to her as she bent over and gathered her watch into her pocket and stood. He repeated her motions, without the watch-portion, of course. He helped her, then, pick up and fold the blanket then place it in her box. He gathered her basket and rested it on top of the folded blanket, and they found that by the time they were ready to leave the park, it was pouring.

Roy picked his jacket and coat up off the ground as he gripped Riza by her waist and began dragging her out of the park.

"Roy!" She said without thinking, but all he did to respond was laugh

She smiled and blushed as he laughed loudly, pulling her across the puddles and mud. She began to laugh with him; she had never seen him so happy on a rainy day. Honestly, she hadn't seen him so happy in a long time.

"We still have twenty minutes for our break, Roy!" She told him as they stood only a couple yards away from their building

He stopped running and looked to her. His light blue shirt was stuck to his strong build and she knew that her shirt was revealing pointed peaks that she felt embarrassed about, but she didn't want to separate from him. She didn't want to work in the office the rest of the day and have to respond to "lieutenant" or "Hawkeye".

There was music playing loudly from one of the restaurants or stores close by. Roy put their things on the ground, then took the basket within the box from Riza's hold with her coat and placed it with his things. He took hold of her waist and lifted her into the air, twirling her. Her face changed into fifteen different shades of red as he lowered her down and took one of her hands in his and then placed his other hand softly on her waist.

He was dancing with her?

Smiled down unto her, and she finally realized just how much shorter she was. She smiled back at him as she continued to dance with him in the rain, on the cobble ground. The sky was slowly turning grey and black, covering the majority of the sun, but they still danced to the music.

Roy didn't acknowledge the stares and smirks they were getting from his lower-ranked coworkers. He was concentrating only on the beautiful woman dancing with him. They held a meaningful gaze, neither of them once turning away.

"I'd like to do this again, sometime, Riza." He admitted over the pounding rain

"Me too, Roy." She replied with a grin

They danced until her golden watch sang, and they entered the building reluctantly to continue as if nothing had happened.


	4. Chapter 4: Treating

The weeks passed, and there were terrible storms off and on. One was so bad that they couldn't even leave the building, and Roy was so surprised with Riza that day. She found no shame in sharing lunch with the dark, and usually angry Colonel; she had made her homemade meals and brought them in her basket. They ate at his desk, dreading over the weather and actually laughing a lot.

Roy noticed that whenever he was with Riza and they weren't ranked, she could make him laugh harder than he had in years. It was another Friday now and Riza asked him what his plans were for the weekend. Roy told her, simply, that as usual, he'd be taking home all of the work he refused to finish in the building.

She glared at him, he cocked an eyebrow and asked, "What?"

"A human being needs rest, Roy, but you never do…there's a limit to how much a person can work, you of all people should know that." She replied, taking a bite out of her plum

Roy smirked and stated coolly, "I don't have time to rest, the world is moving fast and I've already hooked myself onto this part of it, and I can't let go now."

She gulped down her bite of plum and snapped out, "Yeah, well I'm not telling you to quit your job, I'm simply saying you should let the work stay at work and try to relax at home! I know if I didn't rest at home on the weekends, I'd be a complete mess."

He smiled and began to say, "Yes, but you're a wo-"

He stopped himself, sensing the fire of rage building in her.

"You're…a…uhh…whoa-ho-so right!" He tried to chuckle it off, he knew that sentence was one that would never usually leave his lips, and he knew that she knew too.

"Roy, seriously, you should take this time to even consider relaxing. Oh, and when I say 'relax' I don't mean drown yourself in alcohol, I mean relax."

"Well that was swift of you, you take me for an alcoholic, Lieutenant?" He replied shortly

She dropped her jaw, just slightly at his change of title and they way he growled it at her. He seemed to have wanted her to notice their difference in ranks.

She stood up with her palms spread over the edge of his desk. She was opening her mouth, and to Roy's greatest fear, it seemed as though she was going to either yell at him like she used to when they were young, or she was going to sound cool and collect, say something utterly heartbreaking and then not speak to him the rest of the day. He dreaded both.

She was forming her first word and he was about to cringe when the door swung open. There stood Winry, Al and Ed. Ed, as usual, glaring at Mustang.

"You should learn to knock, Full Metal."

Mustang turned to where Riza was and was going to ask for her to leave the room with the two other adolescents, but she seemed to have already stormed over to her desk. She had taken her golden watch off of her desk and led the Al and Winry out and closed the doors.

Mustang seemed nervous, so Ed asked him,

"Did something just hap-"

"Nothing happened. Tell me, have you found it?" Mustang changed subject quickly

"No…I'm not sure where it could be, and all of my sources keep telling me it belongs to the flame in time, but that brings me to you, and you tell me that you don't know a damn thing about it."

"Well…we need to find it. That thing can be colossally dangerous in the wrong hands. Come back every chance you get, I want to hear everything, even if you don't find any clues."

"Yeah…well…there is 'something' we may want to look into…"

"Did you and Colonel fight?" Winry asked Riza innocently

"Hardly." Riza tried to say calmly

Winry beamed and stated, "Would you like to grab a coffee with me after you're off work? I know a great place that always cheers me up!"

Riza was very tempted by the offer, even though she didn't know a lot about Winry. Even if Winry turned out to be someone dangerous, Riza new she would be able to take Winry down at any moment.

"That sounds nice, actually. I'd like that." Riza replied sweetly

Winry grinned and asked, "So when should I come by again?"

"I get off work around seven forty-five." Riza told her

"Okay, I'll come back then!" Winry chirped as the doors swung open

Ed came out of the room, grumpy as usual. He began to walk away down the hall, allowing Winry and Al to follow him. Winry looked back at Riza and sang, "I'll be back later!"

Riza smiled and waved back at her, then walked back into the room. She sat down at her desk, her watch in her pocket still ticking monotonously.

"We have a half hour left of our lunch break, Riza." Roy alerted her as if she didn't know.

She glared at him, cocking an eyebrow and sending a cold chill down his spine as she replied,

"I'm aware of that, Sir."

His face softened and he felt his own changing of titles with her smack back in his face. He looked sad and asked, "You won't be rejoining me, then?"

"Not any time soon, Sir." She seethed as she refused to look up into the puppy-faced Colonel she knew she'd see.

She began writing and could feel his gaze on her, unmoving. The day dragged on with much stare-sensing and sighing from the Colonel. After work, though, they packed their things and walked out of the office, side by side as usual. Roy, though, looked much less serious than he usually did.

"Good night, Sir." Riza told him as they reached the pouring rain outside the building doors.

She opened up her umbrella and stood there near the entrance. He looked to her, passing the pillars and asked, "Why are you staying?"

"I have a dinner-date." Riza responded innocently

Roy became angry, but couldn't place why, "What?! With who!?"

"Ms. Winry, the Elric's friend."

Mustang blushed furiously, at a complete loss for words. That didn't matter, though, because Winry came upon the stairs and approached Riza, chirping, "Ready?"

Riza smiled to the other girl under her own umbrella and replied, "Of course, good-night, Sir."

Roy watched as Riza walked down the stairs and met with Winry at the bottom. Riza looked back at Roy, awaiting his own parting words. He finally gathered himself enough to say, "Yes…good-night, Hawkeye."

Riza smiled sadly and walked away from the Colonel. He stood outside his black car with his wet glove wrapped around the shiny handle.

Was he jealous?

Winry was striking conversation and keeping Riza's eyes following her own. Roy realized he was sad. He didn't want Riza to have fun with anyone but him. It was a ridiculously immature feeling, but it was real. He watched her walking off with that girl and he was upset about it. He gave himself a mental shake and opened his car door.

Winry and Riza sat in the little parlor and sipped at coffees and spooned little lumps of ice-cream. Riza found that Winry was a very nice girl, and found herself enjoying the feminine company. Rather than the company of all of those stupid men she usually hung her coat with. Suddenly, Winry asked a striking question…

"Riza…I've got…a really big problem, and I was hoping, as a grown woman you'd be able to help me."

Riza blushed, wondering what the hell this young lady would ask her…

"I'll try." Riza told her

"Okay…well…I love someone, who…who doesn't notice me the way I want him to, and…he's always gone too long and he never stays home for more than two minutes and-"

"You can call him Edward around me, Winry." Riza interrupted slyly

"So you know?" Winry asked sadly

"Yes, most of the office can tell…for someone so smart, Ed really is very dumb." Riza explained

"So what can I do?" Winry asked desperately

"Winry…I love someone I can't love either, and I know how it feels…"

Winry looked up to Riza with a sparkling curiosity…

"All you can do is support them and do what you can from a distance…but you guys are so young and have so much time…you should really tell Ed how you feel about him." Riza finished

Winry blushed furiously and stammered, "N-No! I-I couldn't! He'd never-"

"Now, you don't know anything for sure." Riza stated with a different pitch in her voice as she took in a spoonful of vanilla ice-cream.

"What about you? Why cant you tell the person you love how you feel?" Winry shot back

"I don't think…he cares for me that way, and even if he did…circumstances keep us apart." Riza finished looked down at her little dish.

"It's the Colonel, isn't it?"

"W-WHAT? WHY WOULD I…WHO COULD…" Riza was alarmed and blushing wildly as Winry smirked at her and added,

"Come on, I'm not 'that' dumb! That's so sweet! So you've slept with him?" Winry egged Riza on

Riza blushed more wildly, "W-what?! No of course no-"

"Did he rise from his desk and look at you sitting at yours and you held a romantic gaze and then he threw himself on you, right there on your desk?!"

"WHAT?! WHAT IN ALL OF HELL ARE YOU TAL-"

"Then were you standing by him when he rose darkly and shot you his killer smile and threw you against the wall and took you?!"

"WINRY-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU-"

"Oh my God! It was on the floor?!"

"NO! WINRY! LISTEN TO ME!"

Winry went silent with a cute smile and stated softly, "Okay."

Riza sighed, trying to drain all of the blood from her head as she breathed out,

"I haven't ever slept with the Colonel…for goodness sake…"

Winry frowned and asked, "…why?"

Riza just glared at her, and Winry got the point to back off. She smiled, though and told Riza,

"I'm glad I can talk to you like this."

Riza smiled softly and settled her spoon down next to her dish and replied, "Me too."

It was much later that night when Mustang was sitting at his table. He was sifting through paperwork when he heard a clink, but he ignored it. He figured it was the rain patting against his windows or the wind causing creaks in the floorboards.

He soon, though, had his breath get caught in his throat in surprise when everything went black. He was going to snap when he felt something warm spread across his lap, in his wooden chair. He blushed, but was angered…

_Another blindfold? It must be a woman. –Long sigh-_

He was going to snap and shoot fire in all different directions, but found that his gloves were being removed. He felt thighs sitting next to either side of his waist, and calves fallen over the sides of his own thighs.

He soon felt soft orbs press against his chest as who ever it was, leaned their soft visage over his shoulder. She had tied his arms back…

He tried to break free, but her knots were strong and he was heavily distracted with thoughts of what woman he had met would be insane enough to follow him home and try to…do whatever the hell they were doing to him. First woman that came to mind was that waitress…

He went to yell, but then tasted something foreign in his mouth. He bit down on the soft warmth and found that it was very tasty. He felt the blindfold lift off onto his forehead and sitting in his lap was his trusted lieutenant.

He swallowed his cookie quickly and stammered, "R-Riza?! What are you-"

"I told you, that any sane human needs to relax. I'm getting you to get your mind off work, and instead on my home cooking." She replied with a smile

She crawled off him, and he finally spotted three brown bags filled with groceries. He blushed wildly and asked, "You came to cook for me?"

"I came to help you relax." She corrected him

He looked at himself and replied, "Well…tying me up to my chair and blindfolding me, then taking my gloves off wasn't a great way to start helping me relax."

She grinned and insisted, "It was just a precaution."

He sent her a slanted smirk and asked, "Can I be released, now?"

She walked behind the chair and untied his hands. He shook them, trying to regain feeling in his fingers as he finally noticed she was dressed in a dark brown dress and matching open-feet shoes. She picked up the brown bags and announced, "Meet me in the kitchen."

He blushed and nodded as he watched her waist swing from side to side as she walked off to his kitchen.


	5. Chapter 5: Realizing

He eventually rose, brushing off some invisible dust from his white, collared shirt and entered his kitchen. He was glad that it was clean for once, and he saw that she had turned on all of the lights, that were previously off before she arrived. He entered the room, to her working over something near his sink, on a cutting board.

He sat at his kitchen table and broke the silence, saying to her, "So why are you here, again?"

"Roy…" she laughed out

She turned to him and decided to walk over. He flustered again as she asked him to close his eyes. He knew she had no food in her hands, so it made him anxious, though he couldn't place why. He suddenly felt his nerves on end and goosebumps rise all over him as he felt her soft hands sit on his shoulders and massage his neck.

He leaned his head back, his hair brushing against her bust as he groaned in pleasure. She smiled and wanted to laugh at how much tension was in his broad shoulders. She liked seeing him slumped in pleasure at his kitchen table. It made her feel at home. She shook that dangerous thought away as she took hold of the back of his jaw-line on either side of his face and twisted it.

He heard, in terror, the loud cracks of his neck escape him and hit the walls. He rubbed the back of his neck in astonishment as she walked back over to the cutting board. He smirked as he realized the tense pain that was in his neck had vanished, though he hadn't felt it until it was lifted. He announced with a crooked smile, "…You're good at that."

She giggled in response and after small discussions here and there an hour passed them and she presented him with a hot dinner meal. He happily ate it, with many gracious, wide-eyed glances to her. Her cooking was amazing and there was no doubt in his mind that he wished she could come every night and help him 'relax'.

She watched him eat and after a while he felt a little awkward and asked, "Aren't you going to eat anything?"

She nodded negatively to him and replied, "I already ate with Winry."

He glared suddenly, his jealous anger rising as he asked, "Oh yeah…what did she want?"

Riza traced the rim of her mug with her index finger and told him, "She needed someone to talk to about boy-troubles."

Roy nearly choked as he stuttered, "O-Oh…what did you tell her?"

"Now, Roy, the secrets of an adolescent girl's heart is hardly your business."

His expression hardened as seemed to try to amuse her with fake offense and said,

"Oh, well then!"

She smiled to him and gripped his wrist, dragging him to his living room. She pointed to the carpeted ground and instructed, "Lay down."

He blushed and asked, "Why?"

"Just do it, Roy." She replied shortly

He swallowed a shallow remark and did as she told him. He sat down on the floor and laid down on his back. She looked at him with a cocked eyebrow and added, "On your stomach."

He twisted around and let his arms rest under his chin. He closed his eyes, wondering what she would attempt to do to him. He suddenly felt her thighs falling over his waist again. He blushed furiously, his nerves concentrating on the outline of what must have been her underwear resting on his tailbone. He felt her soft, feminine hands ride up his back and begin to stroke and relax his muscles. He couldn't help himself from moaning at the way she broke all of the wiry tension in his body.

She did that for him for a half hour, breaking each knot and making every bone in his body feel rubbery and light. She rose off of him and leaned down to his glazed, tired looking expression as she announced, "I'm done."

He smiled to her and flipped over onto his back, spreading his arms outward from his sides a little before telling her, "Oh…that was good."

She giggled and laid herself down above him. Her cheek would brush against him every now and again as they talked on his floor. They were carrying on a regular conversation when Roy interrupted her abruptly and stated, "I'm sorry."

She looked to him as much as she could without moving her head too much and asked, "What?"

"I'm sorry…about what I said in the office earlier today." He explained

She smiled to him and kissed his forehead, replying, "It's okay, Roy…and thank you for apologizing."

He blushed and his expression dropped into that innocent, confused and awe-inspired pout she loved. He moved his head a little more towards hers, turned his neck and kissed the little space between her nose and forehead in return.

"And…I'm sorry for all…those other times too."

He didn't have to explain himself, they both knew what he was talking about. He was treating her like two different people, and that wasn't fair. No matter who or what you are. She smiled and leaned in again, kissing the awkward place he had kissed her in mimic and replied, "Thank you, Roy."

He leaned in and kissed the tip of her cheek, right under her clashed eyelashes. They held a gaze there for along while. He felt his heart pounding in his chest as if he was some teenage boy, approaching a girl with the question of prom in his mind. He could almost feel hers beating the same way.

She felt her blood pounding in her cheeks and through her veins with a rhythm so hard she thought she'd faint. Her eyelashes lowered as her eyes strained to watch Mustang's lips move towards hers. She felt questions flying in her mind and her heart felt heavy and light at the same time. She couldn't form any coherent thoughts as she felt his much awaited lips wrap themselves in hers.

She was surprised to immediately give way to his hunger tongue's plea for entrance. Neither of them moved from lying on the floor, they only adjusted themselves to force their lips closer. He didn't know why he had to do it so much. He couldn't control himself. He felt like he was finally releasing some 'inner-beast' inside of him, the one nature had created when his life was on the line.

He felt thrilled and excited as he played along with her tongue. He loved the feeling of the warmth inside of her and he found that he couldn't stop his quickened breathing. She was breathing the same broken, cold but hot breaths as him. She moved up onto her palms, and he followed suit, not wanting to break from their kiss.

They were sitting up, leaning in towards each other, when he felt her hand crawl up to his jaw. He moaned at her touch and she felt it vibrate through her. She then noted the feeling of his hand moving in the immediate air of her, and it found it's way behind her neck, bringing her closer to him. He let go of her neck as she continued to work her lips against his. He lifted his palm to her bun and released her blonde locks, throwing the band elsewhere.

He let both of his hands crawl up to her neck, pulling her, softly, closer to him. She had wrapped her arms around his neck, one of her arms curling upward, allowing her hand to brush through his black hair. He was running out of breath from the excitement of his heart and blood rushing. He broke for only a moment and heard her catch her breath. He was surprised to feel, her, though, push herself back against him.

He was kissing her. Finally. He was getting what he wanted and it felt too good. It felt better than any eruption of emotion he had ever experienced before. Then it occurred to him exactly what he was doing. He could never become Führer if he was caught like this, or even found out. That would mean he would lose everything he had worked for, not only that, he'd probably never be able to see her again if he still continued being Colonel.

He broke away from her, nervous and upset now. He looked to her beautiful, flustered face; her lips were pink and swollen painlessly from his kisses. Her soft, silky blonde hair was falling over her shoulders and onto her bust and back. He seemed alarmed from his sudden thoughts and his lips had grown thick too. He blushed furiously before telling her,

"I can't do this."

"What?" she seemed dazed

"Riza, I can't…I can't be with you."

She shook herself from her ecstasy and saw that her greatest dream had been turned into a nightmare.

"Roy-"

"Riza, you need to leave…"

"But, Roy I-"

"Riza, you of all people know that we can't…do this…" He finished as he looked away

For the first time, then, he saw her fully cry in front of him. He looked back to her and was shocked as her fists curled on her thighs. She was looking at him desperately and told him,

"But, Roy…"

"…Riza…?"

"I'm so in love with you…" she cried, looking down to her hands

He seemed at a loss for words and looked away again. He hated seeing her so weak. It was so unlike her, so out of the norm for her to cry in front of him. It was so not her to tell him about the deepest emotion inside of her.

"Riza…you know we can't."

She silenced herself from crying and he looked to her. She wasn't sitting there anymore, she had stood. He sat there, looking up to her as she told him, "You're right…I know…"

She left him there, leaving her groceries and blindfold. She walked out his door into the pouring rain, to what he hoped would be her car. He cursed to himself as he softly began to cry, listening to the thunder and lightening crack outside his window.

_I hate the rain._

Mustang was sitting in his office the next day. He was trying his best to ignore the pounding rain outside his window as he noted his missing lieutenant.

_She's late again._

He sat there, looking down at the papers in front of him, but not really reading them. It was the first time he looked at something with writing on it, but couldn't understand what it said. He rested his forehead in his palm and began counting his regrets, which he usually did when he was highly upset.

The door creaked open and he became ecstatic, awaiting the sad, but beautiful woman that he found his only glint of happiness within. He looked up to find a dripping Hughes; he was bleeding terribly from his left arm as he tumbled into the room.

Havoc and Breda rose and Fuery stammered, "M-Maes?!"

"MAES!" Roy called to his friend

He looked to his friend's wound, and found that he would live, and he'd be fine. It calmed Roy down more than Maes would ever know. But Maes did not relax when Roy assured him that he'd be fine.

"What happened, Hughes?!" Mustang shot

"Walking…I was walking and I saw her…Hawkeye…"

Mustangs heart skipped a beat, "Where is she, Hughes?"

"I saw her…she was…being attacked…near the park…Scar…"

"WHAT?!" Roy bellowed

Breda, Havoc and Fuery exchanged worried glances as Roy rose from the floor and shot them a serious look as he told them, "Get Maes to safety."

"Sir!" They said in unison as Roy ran out of the office

Roy found himself running down the hallways. He thought it was unlike him, he had never lost his cool like he was losing it now. He was far too worried, though. He ran down the marble halls and down the stone stairs.

_Please, Riza...be okay…_


	6. Chapter 6: Timing

Roy ran past all of his coworkers, rushing past Hughes's secretary and Armstrong. They called out to him, but he did not respond. Mustang rode into the rain. He didn't know where Riza was, so all he could do was run in the dark aura that the storm held on Central and scream for her. He knew he sounded like a lunatic, but he couldn't stop. He finally heard a familiar voice call out to him. Major Armstrong had run out from an alley way, unharmed as usual.

"Major, where is Riza?!"

He had forgotten to sound formal, he was in far too much worry and pain to remember. Armstrong frowned to Mustang as he moved aside, allowing Roy to peer into the alley way only a few feet from him. He couldn't quite tell what Armstrong wanted him to see, but he soon realized…

Layered with shades of shadows that played off of the brick buildings, a figure could be found in the alley way. Mustang's legs were frozen in place for a moment, as if they didn't know where to take him. He looked unto the picture in front of him…the figure was laying on the ground, only appearing as a black, hunched silhouette with glinting gold bands on it's uniform. Clothes were clearly torn on the figure and there was liquid quickly pouring from it onto the ground.

"RIZA!" Mustang called out as he finally ran to her side

Her eyes were closed, blood sliding over her eyelid and coloring her golden hair crimson. Her thick lips hung loosely from her, leaving her mouth slightly open. Her uniform was torn and dirtied with grass stains, mud, rain and blood. The lightening cracked as he called her name, but she did not respond to his touch nor his voice.

"Riza?" He asked desperately, running his hand down her cheek as the pouring rain fell with more force

He was soaked to the very bone and he couldn't do anything. His brain screamed things at him and instructed him to do things he couldn't understand. He was torn and crying inside, and he felt dark and angry. He could almost feel her pulling that blindfold over his eyes as he sat against the oak tree with the warm sunlight hitting him. He could feel her brown dress folding over his white, collared shirt. He could still feel the pleasurable pain below his abdomen as she rested against his back and worked out his kinks and knots.

He could still feel the urge to kiss her when she peeked at him from behind her menu. He felt the jealousy burning in him when she walked off with that Winry girl. He could still the sense of always wanting to be alone with her. Knowing, fully well, that if ever he had to chose someone that he would show all of his attention and love to, it would be her.

"RIZA!" He called persistently

He felt tears in his eyes for the first time in a long time. He was feeling her lifeless, bloody body pressing and falling on his. He could almost still feel her lips pressing back against his, explaining everything she was and wanted to be for him. A feeling described and completely, mutually understood without words.

"Riza…" he let himself sob over her, weak, fragile body

Her pale face was glistening with blood in the moonlight. He, though, still called her name out into the rain. He looked back at Armstrong. The Major looked to him with a dark, sinister look in his eyes. Mustang finally realized something vital…

"Major…how did you get here so fast?" Mustang asked, cautiously moving back

Armstrong moved closer to the Colonel, asking, "What do you mean? I've been here all along?"

Mustang began to shake, from the shock, cold and anger rising in him. He remembered, clearly, running past him and Private Sheska in the hall; he had ignored their calling for him.

"…you're not Armstrong."

Armstrong smiled to him and replied, "Where is the device?"

"We don't know, we've been looking for it too. Someone like you has no right to even think of taking a device like that." Mustang seethed

"What does it do, exactly?"

"I don't have to answer to the likes of you." Mustang retorted

"Colonel…the longer you cooperate, the longer I will allow you to live."

Mustang glared at the hidden man. Man or woman? A Homunculus? It had to be.

"Now tell me, Mustang, what does it do?"

"We don't know." Mustang insisted

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" Armstrong's deep voice bellowed with a loud crack of lightening

Armstrong's finger than extended from him and he punched a hole far into Riza's lifeless flesh. A small, nearly silent cry escaped her.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Mustang shouted, turning back to the woman he so desperately needed

"Riza? Riza, if you can hear me, give me a sign, please…Riza, can you hear me?"

"It's no use, she's lost so much blood, it's probably clogged her ears." Armstrong smirked

"Shut up!" Mustang twisted around with a disgustingly, angry and psychotic fury written across his face.

Even the Major's shell felt chills of fear run down it's back at the electrified acrimony that flashed white under the lightening and thunder.

"I will protect you, Riza…" He growled under his breath

He suddenly felt a physical eruption from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head in a dizzying heat and speed.

Fire shot out from under his feet and sent an unintentional streak of fire towards the homunculus. He glanced upward to see the Major's body burning in the blast of fire. Mustang winced at the sight, but realized that he was sinking down, into the street.

He looked down into the pool of blue and white sparkling lights that sucked him down and twisted him. He tried clawing upward towards the street, crying, "RIZA! RIZA!"

"MUSTANG!"

Roy heard his name called as he felt a hand grip him tightly, but was thrust into the shining lights with him.

Mustang awoke on something soft. He looked up and saw a white figure before him,

"Time." The figure told him

"W-what?" Mustang asked, sitting up, finally realizing the white all around him

"Time is what everyone craves, Time is what everyone wants because Time is the one thing no one can have."

Mustang let his eyes move from investigating his surroundings to the white, glowing woman-figment before him.

"Everything has a beginning, middle and end, for Time makes it so. No matter the tragedy or happiness in the end. Time does not allow repetition only revision."

"Repetition? What are you talking about? Why are you telling me this?" Roy begged

"In which the tragedy Time has commanded without realization, there will be four times the care and comfort when Time falls on the last hour."

"What are you talking about? What's happened?" Roy insisted

"Good Luck, Roy Mustang." The woman murmured as she vanished

Roy suddenly came to. He was lying down on a hill of grass, clutching the ground. His mind was suddenly flooded with memory. He sat up instantly and heard the groan of what must have been the person he dragged with him. Mustang turned around to the waking silhouette to find –

"FULL METAL?!"

"…Colonel? What are we doing here? Where is here, anyway?" Edward replied, rubbing the back of his head in pain.

Roy looked around; he felt like the surrounding was familiar and panicked when he heard two voices approaching him and Edward. Ed spoke out suddenly, "Who's there!?"

Two young, teenage girls showed themselves eventually. The girls walked through Mustang as if he were a phantom and one girl, Mustang realized…he already knew.

"Look, he's over there with my father, in the yard." The blonde girl pointed out to the brunette

The blonde girl blushed, slumping her cheeks in her hands as she asked her friend, "Isn't he dreamy?"

"Wow…he's so cute! What's his name?" The brunette asked excitedly

"Roy…Roy Mustang." The blonde replied, dazed by watching the young boy train far off

"Mustang? Hmm…I suppose that says something, now doesn't it?" The brunette giggled as the blonde turned cherry red and smacked her friend's arm softly

The brunette laughed and deepened her voice before saying, "Oh, Riza, come with me, let me show you why the ladies call me 'The Mustang'!"

"Shut up!" The blonde shouted playfully, blushing furiously

The brunette laughed and asked, "So why is he living with you again, Riza?"

"He wants to learn Alchemy from my father." Riza told her adolescent friend

"Too bad, I'm sure he could learn a lot more useful things from you." The brunette replied, jokingly

Riza flustered again and growled, "Shut up, Mamiko!"

Mamiko laughed and gripped her friend's hand, replying, "Let's go get lunch for him!"

Riza groaned nervously, "I-I don't know…I don't think I should be bothering him during his training with Father."

"Then we'll get lunch for your dad too and we'll come in saying it was just a kind thought! At any rate, we've got to get him to notice you!" Mamiko insisted

Riza became comically anxious and stammered, "I-I don't want him to notice me! I-I'm fine with admiring from afar, really-really, I am!"

"Riza!" Her friend ordered silence and cooperation as she dragged her friend back down the hill

Edward looked to Roy's flustered, astonished face…

"Roy…where are we?"

Mustang was gaping at the invisible force before him and stated, "Fourteen."

"Fourteen?" Edward asked, not understanding

"I'm fourteen." Roy repeated as he let his finger point off to where the girls had been looking

They could see a young boy with black hair and an older man with long blonde hair ordering him around. Ed looked back to Roy and asked, "That's you?"

"…yeah…"

Ed looked back to the girl's running down hill and asked, "What are we supposed to do?"

_Time does not allow repetition, only revision._


	7. Chapter 7: Denying

"So you explain why we only have four days again?" Ed asked for the twelfth time

Mustang sighed, sitting against a tree, replying shortly, "The woman said 'In which the tragedy Time has commanded without realization, there will be four times the care and comfort when Time falls on the last hour.'…so, whatever or whoever this 'Time' is, he's got a lot of power over time and what happens in the world. So he's apparently made an error, he made something bad something that he wants to make up for…and the woman said four times the care and comfort when it calls on the last hour. So I have to change this terrible thing to something with more care and comfort before the fourth midnight, as in the final hour."

"I don't know…sounds a lot like a children's nursery rhyme to me." Edward groaned as he stood up

"So what's this unintentional tragedy we need to fix up?" Ed added as he looked off down the hill to the town

"I don't know…" Mustang lied, refusing to believe that Riza was a tragedy

Suddenly three forms dropped from the sky before them.

"Colonel!" Havoc's voice was music to the Colonel's ears, but he pushed it aside and shot, "Havoc? Fuery? Armstrong?"

They looked to him, Armstrong rose and replied, "There's no one else coming…I wouldn't bother thinking about it…there was a blue flame, sir, that if touched one would suck right into it. After Edward Elric jumped in after you, Havoc, Fuery and myself took a rope and touched the flame, thinking we'd be able to pull one out if they were sucked in…we clearly failed, though. Breda was also there, but he jumped away quickly. Please, tell us what's happened, sir."

Edward and Roy explained what they knew and after a long silence, with them all standing around the sitting Havoc and crouched Fuery. Havoc suddenly spoke and announced,

"Well it's all obvious, then isn't it?"

They all looked to Havoc as he flicked his infamous cigarette and looked to Roy's confused expression.

"What do you mean, Havoc?" Mustang asked as an order

"Well…it's clear…there's some greater force trying to tell you that the relationship between you and Ms. Hawkeye is a tragedy and that you need to change it, or…or you'll spend the rest of your life in a tragedy, I suppose…"

They all looked to Mustang's strawberry face.

"Colonel…Roy…" Fuery began; Roy looked to him, surprised by the familiarity

"What do you feel for Ms. Hawkeye?"

They looked to Roy, it was the first time any of them had ever seen him ungraceful, or confused…really, he looked terrified to answer the question. He stood there, his mouth open, but words did not show themselves…

"Well?" Havoc insisted

Roy reddened at the insistence of his coworkers. He looked away from them, "I know why it's a tragedy, okay? It-It has nothing to do with…with feelings…it has to do with the fact that she joined the government, there's no doubt about it. I even…I even told her…"

He broke off for a moment, bit his lip and looked back to his privates and Major, finishing, "I told her she should quit…the force completely…"

"You WHAT?" Havoc shot

Fuery stood, looking almost as if he was going to hit the Colonel. Armstrong spoke out, then, saying, "Sir…what did she say to you?"

Mustang replied softly, "She told me…"

_Thank you…Roy, but…I joined the force to protect someone dear to me, and I will not quit. Because when…when I quit…it will mean, that I've given up all that I can do for that person, which isn't a lot. I can't ever seem to do anything for them, because I can't do what I want…so I do little things here and there to help them, but…but it's never enough…and it's never going to be enough for me._

"Well?" Havoc insisted again

"She told me…she joined the force to protect…someone dear to her and that…that she wouldn't ever quit because, she felt that when she did that it would mean she had given up all that she could do for that person, which…apparently isn't a lot…she got…really upset…she…almost cried…when she told me…that helping them from the force is all she could do, but it would…never be enough for her to be satisfied with herself…"

They all went deadly silent when Havoc announced, "Well…then let's turn her life around…what do you think got her interested in the force, then?"

Mustang looked off towards the house, suddenly and shot out excitedly, "Guys, come with me…I've got to see something!"

They followed him down the hill, to the large yellow house, then through the walls like ghosts, then to the kitchen. There stood a young Riza which they all gawked at with sparkling curiosity, amazement and attraction.

She was with Mamiko again, they were cooking.

"Ah…urm…Mamiko?" Riza asked, worriedly

"…uh oh…what?" Mamiko asked in a dangerous tone

"Eh…I think I…"

"Hello, ladies." A young boy introduced as he walked into the kitchen, sweating

His messy hair that curled over his forehead, in front of his ears and the back of his neck was glistening in the lights. His sweat making him look drenched and tired.

"Oh…eh, good-morning, Mr. Mustang." Riza replied as Mamiko just blushed and babbled something under her breath

"You can call me Roy, Riza…I've been here for weeks, after all." The boy responded softly

"Uh…yes…Roy, sorry, Roy…I was just…" she looked off to the side and handed him a silver platter on which there was a cooling pie and a cup of tea…

"I made you lunch." She finished finally, holding out the platter with bashful grace

The boy flustered and took hold of the tray, replying, "Wow...thank you, that was really thoughtful of you. You know, you really didn't have to."

"Oh, no, it was on my own will…seeing you out there, working hard all day with father…I figured…it'd probably been a while since you'd had a warm, home-cooked meal."

Little Roy smiled and added, "Well…it has, and thank you again, Riza…I'll see you later…maybe we could…hang out later?"

Mamiko squeaked as Riza turned cherry red and replied, "O-okay…s-sure, y-yeah I mean…I'd love to."

He smiled gallantly and parted through the threshold of the kitchen, to exit to the front yard where her father called for him. He turned back and added, "I'll catch you later, then."

"O-okay then, train hard!" she replied; he smiled to her, then trotted out the front door

"OH MY GOODNESS, RIZA! HE LIKES YOU!" Mamiko jumped around, her hair flailing around her like fire

Riza was comically nervous, nearly sweating she closed her eyes and waved her hands across her chest negatively and stammered, "Oh goodness, no, no, no! H-he wouldn't find interest in his teacher's daughter, it's-it's impossible if not completely improbable!"

Mamiko glared and asked, "Why don't you want him to like you?"

Riza blushed, twiddling her fingers in front of her white apron and replied, "It's…it's not that I don't want him to like me…I just…"

Little Riza looked out the window and saw a group of girls from town watching Roy chop at wood. They waved and he chuckled and waved back. She looked to Mamiko and finished, "I just don't know if I should trust my feelings in the hands of…I just think that I might get hurt if I get my hopes up too…"

She sighed and her friend frowned, telling her, "I think…he's exactly what you've always needed, Riza…honestly I do, and if it wasn't God's will for you, then why would he end up here? Right in your home, where you can always see him and be near him? If…if it weren't for that twist of fate that he ended up wanting to learn from your own father…well…I'm sorry, Riza, but I don't believe in coincidence."

Riza looked up to her friend with a sad look in her eyes, but a smile on her lips and nearly whispered, "Thank you, Mamiko…"

Mamiko hugged her friend and announced, "Now let's make him dinner and show him how a real lady cooks for her man!"

Riza blushed comically yet again and stuttered, "AH! OH NO!"

"What?!" Mamiko shouted

"I-I GAVE HIM THE WRONG TEA!"

"WHAT?!"

"I GAVE HIM THE TEA I GIVE THE KITTENS!"

"…you give kittens tea?"

Riza glared at her friend and replied, "You should really start looking into how I spend my time when you're not around."

"What the Hell's in the tea, then?!"

"It's my own recipe, but it's far too bitter sweet for anyone human to enjoy!" Riza said as she threw off her apron and was followed by the invisible group out the front door. She watched in anguished horror as Roy took a sip of the tea…

"ROY!"

He looked to her, unmoving…

"Yes?"

"Y-your…tea…I'm so sor-"

"Oh yes, the tea is wonderful, I've never tasted anything like it!" Roy chirped to her

She blushed and looked astonished, replying, "…really?"

"Of course…that's why you came out, right? To ask how I liked it? What I'm your new guinea pig?" He laughed jokingly to her

She giggled and let her horror melt into a grateful smile, her eyes sparkling with adolescent infatuation as she told him in nearly a whisper, "Yes…I suppose so."

"W-well…you keep on training hard, then! I-I'll see you later, right?"

Little Roy smiled and blushed, calling back, "Of course…yeah, definitely."

"Riza, what are you doing out here?" A deep voice came from behind her

She looked back to the extremely tall and muscular man. He had long blonde hair tied back tightly in a small ponytail.

"I was…making sure Ro-…Mr. Mustang enjoyed his tea." She replied nervously

"Yes, well get inside, he needs to concentrate and you should be helping your mother with the painting." The man murmured

"Oh…is your house new, then?" Little Roy asked curiously

"Fairly…get back to work." The man responded shortly

Roy seemed nervous for a moment, but then dropped his gaze to the chopping of wood again. Riza shuffled behind her father, allowing him to pass then slowly closed the door.

"…kitten's tea?" Mustang asked in unison with the flustered Riza

She ran off to her friend, calling out down the halls, "Mamiko! He likes the kitten-tea!"

Havoc and Fuery laughed at Mustang's nearly nauseas expression. Armstrong chuckled and asked, "When will the tragedy strike?"

"I don't know…I suppose we just have to wait and see…"


	8. Chapter 8: Remembering

Mustang was watching his adolescent self work far into the night. Glancing to the moon every moment, realizing and shaming over the fact that he had told the beautiful girl inside that he would spend time with her.

"Hey, Roy." Another young boy's voice came as he walked over to the little Roy

"Hey, Koji." Roy replied, still chopping at the stump before him

"What's up?" Koji asked, walking around the stump towards Roy

"I've been working all day, with no breaks or any time to gather myself at all. Although…"

Koji looked up with interest and asked, "Although?"

Roy stopped chopping and looked to Koji, then the house replying, "That girl…that girl Riza…"

Koji smirked and wondered aloud, "You like her, do you?"

Roy and Mustang blushed at the question. Roy turned to Koji and stammered, "I-I…I mean I…is it wrong?"

"Roy, it's barely a crime to feel tight in your pants around Riza Hawkeye. Although, she's infamous for breaking hearts, so don't get your hopes up."

Roy looked back from the house to his friend and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, every time she's been asked out she turns them down, she said she's holding out for someone special. She's the purest thing in this town, nowadays. Never been kissed, touched…she's barely been seen. She's like this untouchable angel of perfect grace and beauty all locked up in that house all day…"

"Koji," Roy began, "I think…you think I could be that special person?"

Koji laughed and told him, "Look, she's untouchable, you're not getting it, Roy. She's never said yes to a soul before. I asked her if I could carry her books in school once, and she told me she could take care of it herself, when I insisted, she told me to not get my hopes high…that she knew I could never be her special someone…when I asked her why, she told me she'd seen the way I picked on some kid years ago…she told me the boy she'll love will be pure and perfect."

Mustang frowned and replied, "Well…I asked her if she would hang out with me tonight…she said she really wanted to…"

"WHAT?! What was it like?!" Koji insisted, excitedly

"I…I didn't go."

"WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU DIDN'T GO!?" Koji screamed

"Calm down! I…I couldn't make it…her dad kept me working in the yard all day and I couldn't make it tonight to see her…I'm sure she doesn't know that, though…I barely saw her all day…but she made me a pie and some amazing tea." Roy told Koji softly

Koji's eyes widened by miles as he stuttered, "D-do you realize w-what you've done?! I-I can't believe you! You idiot!"

Roy turned pink and nervous, adding, "I'm sure she'll forgive me! She doesn't seem like the type of girl to hold grudges!"

"Yeah, well you didn't seem to be the kind of guy that's completely HOPELESS!" Koji snapped

Roy sent him a glare of maturity, but Koji still fumed. Roy looked to her bedroom window and saw a shadow fast approaching.

Koji was about to start yelling, Roy was looking at him, but they both froze when a soft, feminine voice broke through the air.

"Hello, boys…afternoon, Roy."

They looked up to the balcony on which she stood. She was standing on the stone balcony in a cotton, buttoned night gown. She was smiling to him with her long, blonde, shimmering hair being pulled in the wind. He blushed, but confidently replied, "Afternoon, Ms. Riza."

She beamed and walked over to the balcony ledge, placing her soft, small hands on the cold stone. She looked like an angel, nearly glowing in the moonlight as she added, "Afternoon, Koji."

Koji froze as still as the balcony stone and as nervous as a cornered rat…

"Ah…yes, a-afternoon, Ms. Riza."

Riza's eyes were bright in the night sky, glittered with the sparkling stars. Her milky, smooth features electrified, making the dark chocolate color of her eyes trick the boys into sinking within their welcoming darkness. Roy was lost in them.

"Do you think…well…would you mind if I came down for a little while? Maybe I could stay with you two for a little while?" she asked kindly, softly

They both blushed at her cute, unsure voice. Roy replied, "Yes, of course, please do."

She grinned gallantly and ran back into her room, calling back, "I'll be right down!"

Koji and Roy looked to each other eagerly. Soon enough, as promised, she burst through the front door onto the yard. She was smiling shyly, holding a platter with two cups of tea. She walked up to them gracefully. Roy was admiring her small, ghostly feet walk along the vibrantly green grass blades. She settled the platter on the slightly tilted stump.

Koji was reaching for the closest one to him when she caught his wrist. He blushed, looking to her she finally told him, "The other tea is for you, Koji…I've made a special tea for Roy."

Roy blushed, demonstrating one of the first confused pouts Riza would come to love. She spun the tray slowly, letting the mug near Roy. He eventually reached out and took the steaming cup in his hands. Koji took the other, reluctantly; possibly jealous of the special treat Roy was reaping.

Roy sipped the delicious tea he had first tasted that day.

"Mmm…this is amazing…this is the tea you gave me this noon, right?"

She blushed, twisting her wrists around each other nervously. She replied softly, "Yes, it's a recipe of my own."

Roy's eyes widened in surprise and flattery as he told her, "Well…thank you, it's wonderful."

Koji finally reached out to Roy's hands and took the mug. He looked at it, examining it as if it were an unidentified animal.

Koji took a sip of the tea, to perhaps prove his worthiness of it. Roy and Riza, though, didn't notice nor did they care. They were holding a gaze, both had red filling their cheeks; they were stapled put, they couldn't break the contact of their eyes that reflected the sky. Koji soon spit out the tea from his mouth, snapping, "What in the world is in that?!"

Riza finally felt her body send her a mental shake as she looked back at Koji and replied, "I'm not telling you! Especially if you didn't like it!"

Koji wiped his mouth free of the bitter debris as Roy snatched his concoction back. Roy glared at Koji and snarled, "It's delicious, Koji, you just have bad taste."

Riza blushed, looking to the ground as she told him, "You don't have to lie if you don't like it."

Roy's eyes widened as he waved on hand in argument and stammered, "N-no, no, Riza, I wouldn't lie to you, it really is as wonderful as I say! I really do love it! Why…why not, in fact…well…would you mind making me a couple mugs of it a day?"

She looked back up to him, a light hope and reassurance sparkling in her beautiful eyes as she asked him incredulously, "R-really? You want me to?"

Roy beamed, seeing he had led her to believe him, "Yes, of course."

She grinned and replied, "Wow, thanks, Roy!"

"No problem, really." He said modestly

Koji seemed to be recovering from the terrifying tea-experience when he was sent into shock again when Riza took a step closer and hugged Roy. Roy blushed, dropping his axe as he felt her soft, womanly, warm arms wrap around him in a loving embrace. He decided he didn't want to see the envious green Koji had probably become, so instead of looking, Roy wrapped his arms around Riza.

She hesitantly broke away from him and told him, "Really, though…thank you, Roy."

He flustered a darker red if it was possible at the sound in her voice. He found it amazing that he knew so little of the girl he was living with, but he'd fall to his knees at a snap of her fingers.

"I-I'd like to take you to the festival in a week, if you'd like to go with me, Roy." She asked, hopefully

His pout replenished and remained as he replied, "Yeah…sure, I'd love to go with you."

She blushed, beamed and turned her heal. She looked back at the boys, nearly whispering, "Well, good-night, boys."

She sent a loving glance to Roy, his heart skipped a beat as she added, "Roy."

His cheeks darkened yet again at the sound of his name rolling of her tongue.

"Good-night, Riza." He replied softly

Mustang was sitting on the ground, watching the flirtatious, almost…loving interaction. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Full Metal's golden eyes staring back into his own black orbs.

"You okay?" Ed asked sincerely

"I'm fine, Edward." He replied, forcing tears to stay behind his eyes

"Roy…you can tell me."

He looked at Full Metal. Roy had grown to care about Edward deeply, of course he'd never admit it, though.

Roy smiled sadly and asked, "Am I a tragedy?"

Ed could only frown and sigh. Roy looked away and added, "I know."


	9. Chapter 9: Falling

**Sorry that I took so long to update, guys. Err, I'll try harder to keep my updating more consistent, it's just been a crazy week for me. Hope you enjoy it, it's fairly confusing. Oh, and I'd like to thank everyone who's left reviews, they're really encouraging and appreciated greatly! Thanks a ton and keep on enjoying! **

Mustang was waking up on the grass; back to back with Edward. Around them slouched Havoc and Fuery, as Armstrong sat by himself, in an Indian-style position. Mustang woke to see a blue light. He looked up and the transparent woman he had met the day earlier was standing in front of him.

She hand out her blue/white glowing hand to him, begging silently for him to join her. Edward woke up at the sound of Mustang's gasp and woke up Armstrong in a horrified call for his name, which woke Havoc and Fuery.

Mustang put his arm out, though, to signal silence and cooperation. He then placed a hand in the woman's. Mustang looked back at them, Edward stood and gripped onto Roy's shoulder, Havoc and Fuery gripped his arms and Armstrong held onto Edward's arm. They all began to sink into a pool of blue and white lights.

Mustang looked to the woman and asked, "Who are you? And why have you taken me to a different time? What do I have to change?"

The woman seemed distracted by the flooding of bright lights that swirled around them, although her expression was mundane and uninterested. She looked to him slowly and after a long stare she nearly whispered, "Therapon Elians."

Mustang cocked an eyebrow. He had never heard of such a name, but his thoughts were interrupted by Armstrong's bellowing voice.

"Sir, Therapon means Artist of and Elians means seconds."

Roy looked to the Major with a questioning stare and asked, "How did you know that?"

"There is a book based on that name."

Roy looked back at the woman.

"Why have you taken me to a different time? What is it you want me to do?"

Suddenly they struck their destination. They landed, invisible as ever, but they were still in the front yard of Riza's old home. It was its normal yellow, but the kitchen was different (they could see through the windows) and some of the plants had been moved, and the windows seemed different. Roy and his coworkers watched as they saw a teenaged Roy walked out of the house, holding a brown bag over his shoulder.

The sun was rising as the young Roy looked back at the house, a seemingly final time. He turned his back after a long sigh, but the silence was broken by a cry.

"Roy!"

The boy turned around to see the young girl he had become so infatuated with heaving and huffing from what must have been a cheetah-run down the stairs to him.

"Riza…"

The girl was teary-eyed and looked partly scared, partly infuriated and small portion of her expression clearly shone through as a desperate sadness.

"What are you doing out here?" Roy asked her, softly, walking towards her again

She walked up to him in unison. Her bare feet cruising across the soft dew that covered the valley. The sun was only breaking through across the horizon, leaving them, for the first time, completely alone in a quiet area.

"Y-you're…where are you going?" she begged him

His pout unintentionally sketched into his features as he replied, "I'm going to join the military."

Her mouth hung slightly open, showing some sign that answer was the one she had feared from him. He stuck out his hand, suddenly, asking silently for a good-bye shake. She seemed immensely offended as she spread her arms wide in accusation and flushed emotion.

"What?! Y-you're just…you're just going to leave? Leave everything—you're just going to go?"

He was taken aback by her sudden volume, but communicated back to her in nearly a whisper,

"I'm doing this for the greater good. I know there's a lot I can do for this world, but only if I become Führer…I've got to do this."

The girl glared angrily at the boy, tears building above her bottom eyelid. She turned away to storm off to the house, and the boy, unused to her hostile, furious behavior gripped her wrist, whipping her back towards him.

They stood there for a moment. He could spot the sparkling, unshed tears that laid across her eyes, and he could feel the same skip of her heart that he had. He glared at her, appreciating, though, the way her hair had swung in its high ponytail as she twisted towards him.

"Hey," He began as he tugged slightly on her arm, "there will never be a day that I don't think of you."

She blushed, still nearly crying as she ran into his arms and gripped him tightly in a meaningful embrace. The boy blushed furiously at the way she pressed herself against him, begging, nearly desperate for his touch and reassurance. He didn't hesitate to wrap himself around her huddled mass as he spoke into her loose, blonde hair,

"You'll see me again, I swear…Riza…"

She let her tears drop down her cheeks silently, fighting off the urge to weep into his shoulder, and plead him to remain. He ran his hand down her cheek, signaling her that he had to get going. She quickly rubbed off that teary residue from under her wet eyelashes and off of her cheek bones. She looked up to see him looking to her, he was biting his lip…perhaps he was debating whether he should go or not. She prayed inwardly that he would not leave her.

"Good-bye, Ms. Riza…I'll be seeing you."

He could've fainted at the beauty when the breaking sunrise wrote across her figure and played chords of light in her golden hair. Her small gown that reached only the top of her knees swayed as she shifted slightly.

"I'll be seeing you." She told him as he turned his back and walked off into the sunrise.

He gripped the strap of leather that hung loosely from his shoulder as he looked ahead of him. "Ah" he kept breathing deeply, trying to fight off the urge to let cascades flow down his face.

He looked back at Riza; he was surprised to see her still seeing him off. He froze there, his arm dropped from the tip of his collarbone to his side and swung for a moment. He was staring at her and she was returning it. He watched as a soft breeze came by and pulled her blonde hair and gown. It let him witness the outline of the womanly figure he had just been holding to.

He had just been holding on to it, and now he was leaving, and what's worse is he may never touch her again. He cringed at the thought of that, but he let himself smile, looking at the beautiful, gazing girl that eyed him from nearly a mile away. The girl was smiling, but her face was contorted with wet cheeks and sad eyes, inward eyebrows.

Roy slipped his hand into the air and waved at the top of the hill. Riza laughed a weep and waved back, the other hand gripping the collar of her gown, in what seemed to be pain. Roy smiled, but his eyebrows knit inwardly, in a sad or worried look. He then slowly turned away again, now able to sense her unmoving stare.

He glanced back one more time before his heal would be the beginning of his vanishing from her life. He looked and saw her holding her shoulders, her arms sliding across each other as they reached in an X shape over her chest.

Looking back at her sad face made his heart thump in a way he had never felt before. It was painful and slow; it felt heavy and dreadfully sharp. He looked away, back in front of him. The moment he put his foot down, it would vanish from her sight and he'd never be able to turn back. If he wanted he could run back to her right then and she'd welcome him with open arms.

He glared at the grass before him. When the foot steps down on that slope of the hill…he'd have to truly leave.

"I'll be seeing you!" He called out suddenly

Riza gasped at the noise and watched as he romantically turned back to her. The sunlight flooding the ground and sky with sparkling shine. It pooled over Roy's smiling, gallant features, it was only then that she realized he had said it to her. She smiled as more tears, invisible to Roy's distance, fell from her eyes as she called back, "I'll be seeing you!"

His wide grin died into a soft smile as he turned away for the last time, and let himself sink from her vision.

"Riza…" Mustang said under his breath, forgetting he was surrounded by people he didn't want to know he had feelings for Riza.

Ed looked tragically upset by the entire ordeal. Perhaps, Havoc wondered, it was because it was the type of good-byes him and his friend Winry had. The transparent woman took hold of everyone again and sunk into another time.

It was Roy and he was young, but much older than he had been when he left Riza. He was walking in a hallway with a younger Hughes. The Führer suddenly walked up to Roy and Hughes. They froze automatically and lifted their flat palms for the forehead in respect. The man laughed and announced, "Be at rest, boys…Mustang…I've brought you a lieutenant."

Mustang awaited eagerly the face of a young man, who idolized him and would fall to his every wish. Mustang was shocked, however, to see the Führer step aside and find a young, blonde woman standing behind him.

Their eyes widened by miles at the sight of each other…

"Roy?!"

"Riza?!"

"…you two know each other?" Hughes asked

The Führer laughed and added, "Well, you best let her know, no matter what's between you two, you won't be going easy on her. And he's 'Sir' to you, Ms. Hawkeye."

With that he walked away. Riza and Roy stood there, both gawking at each other's uniforms of blue, silver and gold.

Roy loosened up and walked a little closer to her. He was holding one hand under his chin and one lazily in the air as he said, "I do suppose for a woman who holds no threat to anyone, the uniform isn't a complete disgrace."

She glared but replied, "Threat lies in the eye of the beholder, sir."

He looked back at her and cocked an eyebrow to her strange twist of the famous quote. He smirked and asked, "And what's that mean to me?"

"It means, Colonel, to have faith in what can't be seen."

Roy smirked and snuffed, "Well, come along to lunch then, Ms. Hawkeye."

She glared at his ignorance and immaturity. She let her face sink into it's natural smile soon enough, though, for she knew the real Roy, and even if this was what he was like…it was a part of him, a part of the man she loved, part of the man she fought for, struggled for, trained for, searched for…she would not be bothered by his rough attitude.

She followed him and the invisible team and Elians followed as well. They carried on the entire day; the two fighting and arguing, at one point, Roy mentioned something embarrassing about how he happened to remember her running around her house when she thought she was alone. He threatened to tell everyone while she nagged him to stop teasing her. She eventually whipped out her guns and he threw her against the wall; pinning her.

Havoc and Fuery laughed at Mustang as he flustered, watching himself manhandle her. He was, confused then, for a moment. He knew if he had done that now…she would've killed him. He suddenly murmured, "Oh my God…"

"What, sir?" Armstrong asked, trying to treat the embarrassed Colonel with honor

"I…I just can't believe she's dead…" Roy muttered, desperately sad

"Dead, sir? What do you mean?" Armstrong begged

Roy looked back at the seemingly confused expressions of his coworkers. He was shocked at their features…

"…you didn't see her body in that alleyway? You didn't see Scar's body?"

"Sir…there were no bodies…"

"D-Did Riza come into work, then?!" Mustang seemed full of hope, but was shot down again when Havoc interrupted,

"No…no one had seen her since the day before."

Roy frowned, and the transparent woman gripped his shoulder, saying softly,

"Lost in untruthful and unreliable embraces may leave her thoughtless to her loveless beat toward it."

They all looked terribly lost as Roy asked, "What?"

She gripped them all again and sent them to the day prior to Riza's disappearance. They watched as she walked through the back door of Roy's home and tied him down, forcing her invitation on him. Roy noticed that many of his coworkers were very envious as they watched Riza and Roy laugh, talk and see her cook for him. He watched himself…it felt like an eternity ago.

Suddenly, he realized as they watched her step over his back and kneel to him stating, "I'm done."

He watched himself flip over and saw her lay down on the carpet, above him. There heads lying next to each other as they spoke. They blushed as they saw Riza lean in and kiss his cheek, and then him lean in and kiss the funny place at the tip of her brow. He looked away when she returned the awkward kiss, knowing fully well what his coworkers would see. He cringed when he heard some of them choke down gasps.

"Sir!"

He ignored Fuery's angry voice. He heard Havoc's infinite cigarette hit the floor in shock. Mustang looked back as he saw the door slam and he watched himself, pitifully begin to cry. He watched as she walked out again, remembering his hopeful wish that a car awaited her in the rain.

Roy stormed off through his front door, after the woman he loved, to find, sadly, there was no car that brought her there. She was walking in the rain, crying hard and fairly loud. The invisible group followed her, wanting terribly to hold her, hug her, comfort her in any way. They followed her to the park, in which only Roy remembered they shared lunch.

She sat on the bench that had sat near their tree. She watched as the rain plummeted from the sky and cracked the surface of the unmoving lake water. She glanced up, suddenly, murmuring,

"Roy?"


	10. Chapter 10: Learning

"Roy?"

Roy watched in horror as a figure that was identical to him, but not himself approached the woman he loved. She sat on that bench, wiping at her cheeks with the back of her curled fingers. She sniffed and asked again, "Roy? What are you doing here?"

The fake Roy approached her and took her in his arms as she stood. He held her tight to him, smirking over her shoulder. He murmured sweetly, "I've decided to quit the force, Riza…and take you as my wife."

Havoc, Ed, Armstrong and Fuery looked to Roy in disbelief, but he soon looked to them and stammered, "T-that isn't me! I never went after her, you even saw!"

He looked back at the desperate expression that drew onto Riza's features. She nearly gasped and managed to weep out, "B-but…quit the force? B-but…you w-want to be Führer…I…I can't take you from the force!"

Fake Roy hugged her more tightly, then broke away for a moment to hold a gaze with her. He replied, "But it's what you've secretly wanted all along…isn't it, Riza? You think I don't want it too?"

Riza gasped lightly, and the Fake Roy ventured, "It is what you've wanted…isn't it?"

Riza fell to her knees in the wet grass, already soaked to the bone. She cried into her hands, "Y-yes, it is…and-and I know it's selfish of me…but…but I love you, Roy…" she wept before continuing, "I love you more each day and I can't stop it now…and I want you all for my own, but I know…I know I could never-"

She was cut off by the touch of the Fake Roy's hand on her shoulder as he told her, "Marry me, Riza."

She asked hopefully, "…really?"

He smiled to her and replied, "…Really…"

She stood up and embraced him warmly crying out, "Oh, thank you, Roy, oh, Roy, thank you, Roy…" She continued in a rant of his name and weeping in the crook of his wet neck

Fake Roy smirked sinisterly and sharply hit the back of her neck. She immediately fell to her knees, and was then caught by the Fake Roy. He picked her up over his shoulder and a familiar face popped out from the lake. She walked up from the water, slowly, her glowing composure glistening in the grey reflection of the sky.

"Good, Envy…now bring her to the lab and I want you to prepare for tomorrow."

Roy went to run after Envy and Lust, but was held back by Ed. His pupils dilated in anger and shock as he called after her, but he was unheard. He whipped around, nearly tossing Ed to the ground when he snapped, "Therapon, where are they taking her!? Tell me where she is!"

Therapon did not respond, but gripped the time travelers again and they were thrust into another time. It was years and years ago, some time near Christmas, and it was around the time Riza had first joined Roy. He was talking to Hughes as they sipped at eggnog. Riza was in a light blue dress that had a big slip starting at the side of her left breast and cut down to her waist, the cloth was held together by white pearls.

She wore white pearl necklace, bracelets on either wrist, a pearl hair-accessory held her up-do. The blonde curls that fell from her up-do slide over her small ears that fashioned matching, pearl earrings. She was extraordinarily beautiful that night, as Mustang wore a tux and proceeded to mutter conversation with Maes. She had been talking to Sheska at the time. Young Mustang looked to Hughes with a cocked eyebrow and said, "I haven't seen one alchemic demonstration from her yet. And when I asked the Führer about it, he said she doesn't even use alchemy! Haha, so I asked him why the hell he stuck me with some girly, useless private and he told me that she's 'more powerful than I know', but I doubt it, considering I've tamed about everything in alchemy and she doesn't know what a transmutation circle is."

"Gee, Roy, why are you so upset about it? I mean, she's a beautiful woman who's just dedicated her life to protecting you…I'd love to come into the office everyday to see a busty, beautiful, blonde woman taking my coat off for me."

Roy glared at Hughes; he shouldn't have expected Maes to understand considering he didn't know what this girl meant to him. He wasn't so angry about it, really, it was more of the fact that he didn't want to be the reason she'd die. He'd never be able to live with himself if anything ever happened to her.

There was a sudden crash and two masked men burst into the room. Everyone was caught off guard, especially Mustang. He hadn't been wearing his gloves and the moment he saw them pull out guns he was scared. He was never usually scared, or he was at least very good at hiding it when he was.

The moment he thought of fear, though, he was instantaneously brought to the ground; behind the table of punch and goods. He blushed furiously when he opened his eyes to see two, soft, light blue orbs nearly resting on his cheeks. He looked up and saw the pearls on her neck, then looked further up to see the blonde beauty who had saved him from a flying bullet.

He looked up at her out-stretched arms; she was firing wildly and looked furious. He looked to her neck more closely and saw they her ghost-white necklace was splattered with dark red. He was suddenly immensely nervous and looked further over to her right shoulder where she bled down her arm from. He was still blushing wildly when he stammered, "Y-you're bleeding, Hawkeye!"

"There's no time for that now, Sir, don't worry, I'll be fine. Just get down."

He lowered himself back to his slumping position. He didn't feel like arguing with her when she was angry and had two guns, one in either hand. He had no idea where she was even keeping the guns. He tried to peel his eyes away from her bouncing spheres, which his concentration begged on and his body begged him to grasp. He looked down and saw her legs split over his waist. Her waist line was across from his collarbone, he saw when he looked down his eyes met with her flat stomach.

He looked back up at her again. She had stopped firing.

"You're safe, Sir." She told him as she backed away, off him.

It took him a couple of moments to comprehend what she had told him. When he finally stood back up, gathering what dignity he had within himself, he looked to her and stated, "Thank you."

Her expression remained that of someone at a military camp's, but a blush did color her cheeks as she replied, "It's my job, Sir."

He showed off that confused, caught-off-guard pout that she had missed so much. Then he turned, looking at the two bodies across the room. Both were alive, but groaning in pain. They had been shot right above their hearts.

He glanced to her again, as the blue and white lights began to swallow the group; Mustang forced to concentrate on the last words he'd witness before being sunken to some other time.

"You're truly amazing, Hawkeye."

He then found himself back in the sunrise in which they had woken that morning to find her. She let go of them. Her voice sounded like pooling water in a gigantic cave as she told Roy, "Three midnights on now, it is never simple to find one's self when they're already there; Time does not allow repetition, only revision…"

Roy gripped her forearm to shout questions to her, but with the first crack of light over the horizon, onto the group, she vanished. Mustang rose and kicked the ground angrily.

"Damn it!" He cursed over and over as he paced

He paced until he saw Riza exit the front door with a bag over her shoulder, holding some books. She was wearing a red, white and black skirt with a white buttoned top, and black shoes. She waved to Mamiko who was standing at the top of the hill. She was in the same outfit, and Roy gathered that it was their school uniforms. He watched young Riza trotted up the hill and babbled with Mamiko shortly, then walked down the hill.

Roy admired her long, blonde ponytail flow behind her.

It finally hit him.

_It is never simple to find one's self when they're already there._

"I know what to do." Roy said aloud

Ed looked at him with a cocked eyebrow and began to say "What?" when little Roy walked out of the house and Mustang ran into himself. They had gone through everyone else, but it made sense, that if it was truly himself, that no matter what time he could control himself. Ed was shocked to see that he didn't come out from the other end.

The group all babbled and asked, dumbfounded, shocked questions to each other. Mustang could still see them, probably because half of him was more spiritual than real.

The young Roy walked up to the group and said in a higher voice than they were used to, "This is it. This is how I'm supposed to change things."

"You're such an asshole, Roy." Fuery yelled

Roy looked to his private and asked in disgust, "What?"

"That woman…that woman, Riza…Riza Hawkeye just begged someone that wasn't even truly you to stay with her forever! She gave up her life to be with you, so don't fuck this up! A person's emotions…should be there own, no matter what time they're in…let her love you, Roy…"

He blushed and replied, "I-I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Fuery."

"You know exactly what I mean, you just saw it!"

"What I saw was a confused, upset woman. Comfort was what she needed and when that homunculus gave it to her, no matter what they offered, I'm sure she would've taken it."

"Sir, how could you-"

"I'm going inside now, men…try to stay out of trouble…oh, and if that Therapon woman comes back, tell her I've got it all figured out."

With that he waltzed off, back into the house. Fuery looked to Ed and Havoc with a dropped jaw.

"Jeez…that level of denial that guy's in…" Ed murmured as he looked through the window to see Roy talking with the muscular man they saw earlier.

The day consisted of Roy ignoring them, so that it didn't seem as if he was talking to himself, and hard labor. He had been studying in the basement; going through paperwork when young Riza approached him with a brown bag. He looked up as she slid it onto the table.

She didn't smile, she looked overcome with nervousness as she stammered, "I-I made you lunch, Roy…would you like me to bring you some tea?"

He blushed and smiled, replying thoughtfully, "Yes…I'd love that…thank you, Ms. Riza."

She smiled and ran back up the stairs. He beamed and pulled out the whole-wheat sandwich she had prepared for him. His stomach grew eager looking at it. He was about to chomp down when he heard the door open again. She had returned with a small plate that matched the mug's color. She laid it down on the desk, near his papers as she whimpered, "Here's your tea, Roy."

He beamed and put the sandwich down to retrieve the tasty tea he loved. He looked up and asked, "This is the tea with your own recipe, right?"

She nodded positively. He grinned more widely before adding, "Good, it's my favorite."

She blushed, smiling cutely and asked, "You'll be done with all of this work by tomorrow, wont you?"

He swallowed some of the tea and replied, "I don't know…why?"

"Oh…it's just…it's just that the festival's tomorrow. You said you'd go with me, but…but it's okay if you can't, I know you have lots of work to do." Her voice died in and out of the sentence

Roy blushed wildly, "Oh, I completely forg—I mean…I completely didn't forget about that! Of course, I'll be done with my work by then!"

Roy found then, that he truly was terrible at lying to Riza. No matter what age or reason.

She smiled weakly, "It's okay if you don't, though…don't overwork yourself!"

He chuckled and told her, "I couldn't give up a night with you, though, Ms. Riza."

She looked up from her lap, blushing and wide-eyed. Her mouth hung a little open and it seemed as if she was going to form a word when the basement door swung open again.

"Riza…what are you doing down here?"

"Oh, Daddy, hi…I was just giving R- Mr. Mustang some lunch I made." She told him

The man seemed to growl and said to her, "Fine, I just don't want you getting any ideas about alchemy…it isn't meant for pure, beautiful people like yourself, dear."

She smiled and chirped, "Thank you, Daddy, although I 'have' met a wonderful person whom was also an alchemist."

She was gripping her father's waist in a hug when she looked at Roy. He realized it was directed at him and he flustered.

"I'll call you down for dinner, honey." He told her

She looked up to him and spoke out, "Okay…I'll see you later, Mr. Mustang."

He smirked at the cute tone her voice took when she said 'Mustang'

"Yeah, I'll see you later, Ms. Riza."

With that, she turned about-face and marched back up the stairs. She slid her back against the door and breathed out, "Ah…what a dream-boat!"


	11. Chapter 11: Envying

**Okay, I know this was delayed too, and I'm sorry. But I made a nice long one for you guys to make up for the inconsistencies! Yay! Okay, well, there's a butt-load of fluff in this chapter so…have fun with it! Lol, thanks for all the reviews and PMs, again you guys, it's all really nice and greatly appreciated. So keep enjoying, and I hope you guys like your latest chapter…**

Roy wrote and studied the papers and books like the devil was on his heal. He was eagerly awaiting his date with Riza. When he thought about it, he never really remembered his years at Riza's house. Well…he remembered them, but he never recalled that quickened pacing of his heart when she was near, and he hadn't remembered all of those things he had done, those things he had said.

That worried him, for he knew he had gone to the festival with her in the past before that woman Elians threw him in to tamper with it. He was frightened at this feeling of déjà vu, perhaps…he had already done this…perhaps he had 'already' been in the past and all of time was just one big, never-ending circle.

Roy shook his head, trying to chase away the infinite chain of repetitive thoughts that were bound to linger. The moment he shook his head, though, he realized he had finished his work. He stood from his desk and ran off upstairs. He approached Riza's father and explained how he was finished and how he wished for some time to relax. Little did the father know, by relax, he meant spend a special evening with a certain blonde beauty at a festival.

The father let him go and Roy bowed to him in thanks and rushed to his room to change. He swiftly showered and switched into clean clothes. He slicked his hair back and nearly danced down the stairs like a movie star. He waited at the closed front door until the beautiful, made-up Riza came down the stairs. As graceful as a ballerina dancing point across clouds, she floated down to him in her white peasant dress.

She walked up to him, a bashful fluster in her cheeks, lifted with her smile.

"Afternoon, Roy."

"Afternoon, Ms. Riza." He replied

He slipped his hand under hers that hung by her waist and asked, "So…shall we go?"

She blushed more deeply at his touch and glanced from her hand to his gaze before telling him, "Yeah…"

He beamed; he could nearly feel the rapid beating of her heart at his simple touch. He stopped himself then…realizing his heart was beating just as fast. He tightened his grip on her hand. It was disgusted with himself suddenly. He realized that he was exactly how feminists described men. That all they need is food, sex and sleep. He felt that disgust rise in him for he felt that all he wanted was to hold her, to touch her some way.

It was such a desperate cry for her body within him, that it took all the fibers in his body to keep from turning over and pulling her to him in an embrace. He found a reason to try to take his mind off of the inward fighting when he saw Koji and Mamiko waiting for them at the top of the hill. It was clear that Koji would have much rather been going on a date with Riza, but was stuck with her friend.

Roy was proud to be walking around with the purest, most beautiful, timid, kind-hearted girl in that town. He could've had a million dollars in his pocket and not know the happiness and pride he had now. He looked to her thick lips hanging off of her like a perfect portrait from a castle wall. The corners of had climbed up her cheeks, forming a sincere smile. He was watching how the sun was highlighting her blonde hairs.

The white dress's thick strands that slid over her shoulders were nearly see-through. Her figure was brought out by the color and tight hold on her figure. The dress reached her knees, the whole dress was outlined in frills and there were three big buttons going down the back of the dress to keep it together. Her hair was up in a bun and there were little white orbs in her ears. He decided to speak to her as they walked up to meet their friends;

"I like your hair like this."

She looked to him sharply, looking almost shocked at his compliment as she replied, "My bun?"

He nodded positively as she looked back at her white open-foot shoes walking up the hill and told him,

"I was going to make my hair a little more nice, considering I was going to be with you…but I ended up taking too much time choosing a dress and I couldn't manage anymore time to make my hair."

He set into that pout she adored as he stated, "Well, I love it. You don't have to be fancy for me, I like you…"

She looked to him with raised eyebrows and a blush across her cheeks as he continued after a small gulp, "…the way…I know you…" he paused and continued in nearly a stutter, "in any case, you look beautiful. I mean…you look beautiful everyday, I've just never seen you in such a radiant dress."

He hadn't been looking her right in the eyes and he decided he'd like to see what shade of red she was. He was happy to see that she resembled a cherry with banana cream for hair. It took a lot out of him not to laugh at the sight of her adorably flattered state.

"T-thank you, Roy. I must say, you're looking very handsome tonight too."

The urge to laugh ended as he felt his heart skip a beat and the heat rose to his face. He could feel the tips of his ears burning as he replied, "Thank you."

They finally made it to the top of the hill and they all set off towards town. Mamiko was the center spotlight of socialization. She would regurgitate conversation as much as she would carbon dioxide. But Riza's dark eyelashes trailed shadows over her honey brown eyes and he found himself completely hypnotized by her presence.

She had a permanent pink painted across her cheeks, and she mostly looked to the ground shyly as they all walked together. Mamiko forced Roy and Koji to socialize and blabber meaningless conversation with her. Roy, though, didn't care much…he was much more interested in watching the gorgeous girl he was accompanied with.

He was highly distracted by the way the orange and yellow rays were sliding over her cheeks, to her neck and to her shoulder, so that when Ed's voice came out it startled him.

"Put your arm around her, Mustang!" Ed called to him in a whisper

Roy looked off sharply, forgetting that the others couldn't see Ed and the group. Roy spotted Ed in the bushes with Havoc, Fuery and Armstrong. Roy blushed and nearly snarled an insult at them.

He looked back at the group he walked alongside of. They were being kept busy by Mamiko. Roy decided it was safe to make some contact with others. So he viciously shook his head negatively, blushing wildly.

"Come on, Mustang, you're a man, aren't you!?" Ed shot in a whisper as if the others could hear him

Roy made the same bashful motion with his head when Fuery admitted, "Well, Sir, you've already stuck your tongue in her…why are you being so shy?"

Roy's face filled with red as Havoc and Ed laughed.

"Roy! Be a man, claim your territory!" Havoc insisted

"Yeah, just don't pee on her." Ed laughed out

Roy glared at Ed, but was distracted when he felt a fine, small hand on his arm. He looked and saw Riza looking up to him shyly, blushing but worried. She asked him softly, "Are you okay?"

Roy finally realized that if she saw him, he would've looked like a cherry glaring at bushes. He improvised an expression he couldn't determine and replied, "Yes, yes I'm fine."

She stopped walking and stood in front of him as Mamiko and Koji passed them. Riza raised her hand and placed her palm over his forehead and asked, "Are you sure? You look flushed."

He blushed even more deeply under her touch and adorable innocence. He slid his hand up and grasped her wrist softly, moving her hand away. He felt his heart pounding. Why was he worried? He had always had a way with women, and as usual, here was a girl falling over herself to be near him. But why was it different? Why did he know he could never woo Riza like he did other women? Why was she so special?

Well, he was bloody in love with her; it's as simple as that. He was in love with Riza, but a man's burden should be bared alone. He wanted to become Führer, so he couldn't love her. He's not allowed.

"I'm sure." He told her

He leaned down after murmuring that and kissed the tip of her cheek, under her closed, entwined eyelashes. He lifted his lips off of her freckles and looked down unto her again as she opened her surprised eyes. He smiled and added, "Thank you for your concern."

"Smooth, Mustang…" Havoc complimented

Roy could've turned around and punched Havoc for making the others chuckle the way they did, but he didn't care at that moment. He just cared about the blush he had created with simple words across a beautiful girl's face, the sparkle in her loving features and the beating of his heart. He suddenly saw Koji over Riza's shoulder.

He was glaring a hole into Roy's head. Roy straightened his posture, and found that it must have queued Riza to turn around and spot Koji's death stare. Koji finally spoke, ignoring his own crossed arms as he bit back anger, "Roy? Riza?"

Riza smiled sweetly, stammering, "S-sorry, I just thought that Roy wasn't feeling well, so I was just seeing that he didn't have a temperature and-"

"Alright, don't worry about it, Riza, it's not your fault." Koji stated sweetly, but soon turned to Roy with fire in his vision; implying, therefore, that it was Roy's fault.

He brushed off the anger and slipped his hand into Riza's. She looked up to him, surprised at first, but her nervous expression soon sank into one of which was pink in the cheeks, but loving and happy. She leaned in a little closer to him, allowing her arm to brush against his as they walked. Roy suavely passed by Koji with a sinister grin of victory.

Koji turned around and watched Roy walk off along the dirt track with the girl of his dreams. Koji seemed greatly offended by the way Roy had smirked so confidently and then taken off with Riza. He glared at Roy's back, hoping to burn a hole in through him. Roy looked to the beautiful girl beside him. She was looking at Mamiko; who was giggling and blushing encouragingly.

Mamiko then clung onto Koji's arm. She chirped happy conversation in his ears. He seemed to be drowning in despair; having much preferred Roy's date to be on his arm. In Koji's anger towards Roy and gloominess whenever he was clung to by Mamiko; in Roy's jubilance and Riza's timid, but endearing loving personality shining through, they spent their evening in town.

They had finally made it to the festival and walked through all of the carts of candies and toys. Roy won Riza a large teddy bear and split ridiculously large cotton candy with her. He shared his water bottle with her as she clipped herself to her won bear. It wore a large brown bow around it's neck and it was about four feet tall. It was soft and fuzzy with two, big, painfully adorable bead eyes.

He loved to see her clutch to his gift the way she did. The way her fluster remained, even as she grew more comfortable with him; the way her silk hands ran over each other as they held onto her toy; the way some of her blonde hairs fell over her ears and cheeks. He loved seeing her laughing and smiling with Mamiko and constantly glancing to him. Looking at him…as if…he knew what she was thinking…

Maybe if he tried, he could. Maybe if he wanted to desperately enough, he could tell what she wanted him to say and do. Maybe if he concentrated he could act the way she dreamed of and read the message her dark chocolate eyes sent him.

He was watching her as she whispered and giggled with Mamiko. The sun setting behind them; the orange, pink, red and yellow lights riding over Riza's features like a princess's portrait being painted by a fireplace's warm rays. Her smile was wide and he couldn't recall a time he had seen her so happy…accept…accept for those days he had lunch with her…

He was thinking just that when he realized he wasn't "with" Riza. He realized he was alone and the doom that curled up his spine and sent shivers down his arms was surely Death. He turned around to spot Koji's insistent glaring. Roy cringed at the sight, a nervous aura flooding his being.

"What the hell, Roy?" Koji seethed as he stepped closer to the rushed Roy

Roy's eyes slanted angrily as he realized there was no way of getting out of the uncomfortable conversation. Once he glanced at the gossiping girls, and all the fun they were having whispering girly little secrets to each other, he knew he shouldn't tear them apart for his own protection from someone who was supposed to be his friend.

"What?" Roy asked innocently, though with a touch of annoyance

"You know exactly what. You know how I feel about Riza, I don't know how you could agree to this, and then just be touching her all the god damn ti-"

"It's not my fault she told you no." Roy spat as he turned sharply towards Koji

Koji's eyes flashed open widely. He was speechless as Roy continued,

"She told you no. And she asked me if I would attend a festival with her. You wanted me to tell Riza Hawkeye no? You wanted me to tell her 'no, I don't want to go to a festival with you, Ms. Riza'? Honestly? I doubt if a beautiful, blonde, shapely, pure, kind, caring, perfect girl came up to you and asked you to go to a festival with her, you'd say yes on the spot no matter what she meant to me! Don't be bitter because she wants to spend time with me, Koji…you're my friend…"

Koji seemed astonished, or perhaps he was simply gawking in horrendous offense. Roy stopped walking; he was holding a stare with Koji. Koji 'was' his friend, right?

"Let's go see the fireworks!" Mamiko chirped as she gripped Koji's arm in her own

She pulled Koji off ahead of Riza and Roy; Koji did not look back at Roy. Roy was watching Koji's back as if trying to pull him back by some invisible rope that flew from his vision. He very suddenly felt a warm sensation crawl up his side. He looked to his side quickly to find that Riza was looking up at him with her big brown eyes.

Her lips hung loosely, as if in confusion, and her thin arms were draped over her bear and under, looping around his arm. She slowly formed a smile and asked, "Would you like to go see the fire works, Roy?"

He blushed; even in those few minutes she was gone, he hadn't realized how much he had missed hearing her voice. He thought of how much he loved to hear his name roll off of her tongue and let it hit him with such honor and praise. He felt like a hero when she called his name; he felt like he could do anything.

For in that one name she held his heart, she held everything he had ever worked for, she held everything that made him him and in one moment, she could rid herself of him, but she keeps him near to her and calls his name. She calls his name because she believes in him. It made him feel real. It made him feel alive.

He flustered and let himself smile to her as he told her lowly, "Yes, I'd love to."

She beamed and stepped forward with him. They followed Mamiko and Koji's cold trail. The colors shot and flew in the night sky for hours. They all sat together on the top of another hill, a little outside of town. Many people were around them, but to Roy, he seemed to be all alone with Ms. Hawkeye.

He was watching the colors run against her skin as they exploded in the stars. The night air suddenly gave him a chill, and he spotted the goosebumps that rose on her. He quickly slipped off his jacket and stood. She hadn't noticed he rose; she was too distracted with the rings of color in the sky.

She suddenly felt warmth all around her. She twisted her neck to the left, to where she thought she'd see Roy, but found that he was no longer there. Her racing brain finally comprehended the jacket the was hung over her shoulders, the legs that perched themselves around her waist, the arms the wrapped around her own arms, kind of helping her hold her toy. She slowly slipped her head back and saw Roy looking down onto her. They were both blushing wildly at the realization that had Riza not moved her head back slowly, they would have kissed.

She was looking to him in surprise and asked, "What are you doing?"

He grinned and replied, "Keeping you warm…it's getting cold."

Her cheeks darkened as she stammered, "O-oh…thank you, Roy."

He felt her move her head back forward as she pushed him back. He fell onto his back and was about to groan out a "What was that for?", but instead concentrated on the soft flesh that rested against his chest. She had cast her bear aside to entwine her fingers in his, and wrap his arms around her waist, holding her to him.

He thought it was very out of character for her. She was usually so shy, nervous and quiet, yet here she was, silently telling him, "Hold me". She cuddled her cheek into the crook of his neck and ran her cheek against his lovingly. He smiled and relaxed under her unfamiliar hold. They stayed like that until nearly everyone had left. Conversation had been coming to all of them easily all that evening, but as the night dragged on, it seemed as though Mamiko would be drowned out by Koji.

Koji, Roy was sure, was sick of hearing his unintentional date jabber. Koji suggested with some hidden messages, "I think we should get home. We all have school tomorrow."

Riza turned over, tiredly onto Roy's chest. She rested her head on her clasped hands on his racing heart. She closed her eyes with a yawn and smiled before saying, "Not me."

"What?" Mamiko asked curiously

"I'm taking off of school tomorrow and the day after. Mom wants me home for some time, she says she never sees me anymore."

"Lucky, you." Mamiko snorted

Riza smiled and hummed some acceptance to the statement, at a loss for energy. They all clipped away at the conversation until there was nothing more to be said. Mamiko and Koji stood and Koji nearly ripped Roy's head off when he saw Roy wasn't getting up.

"Well? Get up." He ordered

Roy glared at Koji and sneered, "I 'would', but I think Riza's asleep."

Mamiko blinked curiously and asked, "Asleep?"

"Yeah…hmmm…here." Roy replied as he slipped out from under her.

He gripped onto the teddy bear's bow and slowly, carefully picked Riza up off of the ground. He cradled her in his arms; her knees draping over his right arm, her arms folded over her stomach, her head curled on his chest; resting on his arm. He carried her home, Koji glaring and Mamiko giggling and complimenting Roy on his strength and manners all the way.

Roy later slid her into her yellow and white bedding. The thick blankets were yellow with thin white lines going down and across, with vines of blue little flowers spread throughout. He placed her down, slipped off her shoes and let her hair out of it's bun. He moved one of the white frills that hung from the corners of her pillows from her shoulder, before sliding her under the blankets.

He looked to her resting, dreaming expression. Her features highlighted radiantly in the moonlight, giving her the milky composure he had seen on her the night she asked him to go to the festival with her. He admired her long, clinging eyelashes and the dark shadows they cast across her.

Her soft smile was painted on her expression, her flustered somewhat died out. He chuckled nearly silently at the priceless sight of her beauty. He was truly hypnotized by her and everything she brought within her.

He closed his eyes in exhaust as he let his hand run against her arm. He extracted a small whisper of his name; he opened his eyes to look to her. He expected to find her awake, but saw that she was fast asleep…dreaming of him. He blushed in flattery and leaned down, kissed her cheek and readied himself to rise from the seat he had taken on the side of her bed.

He was about to stand when he looked to her again. He found that whether she be conscious or not he didn't want to leave. He felt…almost scared of losing a moment with her. A moment he wouldn't get back, a moment he wouldn't be able to retrieve again. He looked to her deeply, contemplating what he could be feeling, or why he would feel this way.

His need to touch her again brought him down to her face again, placing another soft kiss on her cheek. She had laughed softly as she shuffled herself ever so slightly more towards him. He ran his cheek against hers as his eyes filled with tears. He shut them, hoping the water would recede, but came to learn that would only allow them to drop down his face.

When did he love her so much? When did it happen? When they were young like this? When he joined the military? When she protected him? What was it that made him act and feel this way towards her? What made her so special? What made her different from every woman he had ever been with?

…was that it? He hadn't truly been with her. He wasn't allowed to be with her. No…no, there was something more. It was deep within him, something that left a knot in his stomach and a flutter in his heart. Something that made his face hot and his chest punch. He could feel music playing inside of him and he could feel voices loving, laughing and playing a symphony along his blood stream.

Everything in him was electrified when he was with her. Everything was beautiful when he was with her and he wanted to know…why?

Riza woke that morning to role over in bed. The morning sun was flooding her room and she gripped her teddy bear tightly. She smelled in it's warn fragrance of night, fireworks, cotton candy, sugar and Roy. She gasped, "Roy!"

Had she fallen asleep? Oh no! She fell asleep on him, didn't she? Could she have done something anymore embarrassing?

She groaned in shame as she slumped out of bed. She held her forehead, letting her golden mane stay frozen in it's unkempt style. She tried to remember, how is it did she get into bed? How did she get home? Suddenly, the worst thought came to mind…did he have to carry her? Oh no…no, no, no…

She ran out of her room, down the hall and into Roy's room. She burst in without a knock calling, "Roy?" quietly

She saw him there, finally. He was in a small bed, with a white blanket over him. His usually tamed black hair was messy and crawling over his face and sticking up and in every other direction possible. She smiled at the unfamiliar posture and image he took on. It was strange, for he looked like a totally different person, and she wished she had seen him like this before.

"Ms. Riza?" He asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes

He was being blinded partially from the white, yellow lights that broke through the window, into his room. She closed the door and quickly marched over to his bed asking worriedly, "Did you carry me home last night, Roy?"

He blushed and was clearly over come with exhaustion for he couldn't form a coherent answer for a few minutes. He answered, though, "Yes…I'm sorry, I just…didn't want to wake you."

She blushed furiously, finally realizing the truth she had dreaded, "Don't be sorry, I should be telling you sorry."

She sat down on the side of his bed, pulling her legs up next to her as she looked to the wood floor. He was sitting up against his bed post as she continued,

"Thank you, Roy…you really didn't have to do that."

"I didn't have to. I wanted to." He replied

She flustered, noticing she had said the same thing to him once before. He smiled as he saw she remembered where he got that answer from.

"Great minds think alike." He told her

She beamed and laid down on his second pillow. She turned over and hugged his waist. He blushed ferociously as she murmured into his naked ribs; "I've decided that I really like you, Roy, and I'm glad you're living here."

He smiled, lowering his tired, heavy eyes, "Thank you, Ms. Riza…I really like you too."


	12. Chapter 12: Wanting

That day, Roy must have laid in bed with Riza for three hours. They would speak softly sometimes, striking interesting questions or statements. Roy could feel her hot cheeks on his side, he knew she was embarrassed, being around him when he was half naked in his bed.

He didn't blame her.

She suddenly asked him, "Roy…are you and Koji friends anymore?"

He swallowed a breath sharply before replying slowly, "…it's…he's not…"

Roy couldn't complete his sentence; too many words were jumping up in the front of his mind. He closed his eyes with a sigh and stated, "I don't know…it's really all up to him…"

She sighed softly and cuddled into his side, holding on more tightly to him as a sign or comfort. He smiled and asked, "How did you know there was stuff between me and him?"

"A girl can always tell when there's drama." She told him

He chuckled and closed his eyes again. He was so tired, but he knew he couldn't sleep even if he tried. His eyelids were like lead and his breathing was quiet and rhythmic. He tightened his hold on her; he didn't want to miss another moment.

"You know, I'm letting out the butterflies today." She announced

He cocked an eyebrow, his eyes still closed as he asked, "Sorry?"

"I've been raising little caterpilliars in some pots for some time now, and they're all ready to be released today." She explained

He smiled and said softly, "That sounds like something you'd do."

She grunted and fidgeted her thin, long fingers over his eyes and raised a lid one open. She glared with a smirk and asked, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

He opened his eyes of his own accord as she released her hold. He chuckled in a raspy tone as he added, "I don't mean it in a bad way, you're just…"

He looked to her; now that he thought of it, he didn't know why raising butterflies 'would' sound like something she'd do. It just did…but there had to be a reason….

"You're like that, I suppose. You stay all cooped up in your room, like a caterpillar in it's cocoon, but then you take me out to festivals and kind of step out of your comfort zone, and when you do, you're even more charming and endearing than you normally are…I suppose that's why it's something you'd do. You're like them."

She blushed and replied, "…thank you, Roy."

He beamed; he loved that blush that only 'he' could extract from her. He noted that when he touched her, whenever there was a small sliver of contact there was a small spark in her eyes and her bravery would show through. It was as if she was hoping he would touch her all along, and then when he did it was like a start button. Every time he touched her, she wanted more of it, and that he liked.

He turned over and quickly ran his hands down her waist and tapped his fingers over her stomach and sides. She blushed, but was immediately laughing hysterically. She was trying to push him away, but he only chuckled at her weak fight. Her eyes were teary with laughter and her muscles were pulsing with tickle. She started yelling through laughter that left her breathless, "Roy! I-I-I'll kill you! S-stop! R-Roy!"

He was balancing over her; his legs split over her waist, his arms down on her sides. He stopped at her last call for his name and chuckled over her panting, red-faced, hysterical status. He smiled as she raised her arms, still laughing and planted her hands on his shoulders. She took a deep breath, trying to reduce her hysteria.

The breath let the laughter die out into giggling. They didn't say anything to each other. They were simply gazing at each other. Roy wanted to lean down and kiss her; he could feel his face burning and his muscles were all crawling around at their position over her.

He began to lean down, her arms loosened as he lowered and crawled around his neck. One of her soft, feminine hands holding the back of his hair encouragingly. His black hair was longer then, and falling over his ears and onto his cheeks and forehead. He could feel his heart pounding and punching in his ribs.

She was being hypnotized by his bedroom eyes and red cheeks. She knew what he wanted from her and she wanted it too. She wanted him all along, to secretly be dreaming of her at night like she did with him. She wanted him to want to touch her and hold her. She wanted him to want her to give him everything she had to offer. As he closed in, she could feel her heart bursting through her chest.

Their lips weren't a moment away when there was a knock on the door. Roy felt Riza's hands tear away from him and push him harshly off of her. He was violently tossed to the side of the bed as the woman walked into the room. He was rubbing his head and groaning in pain as it had hit his bedpost with such force that he thought he was bleeding.

He looked slanted towards Riza, but found that her behavior was forgivable, given the situation. The woman walked in and smiled, asking, "Riza, what are you doing in here?"

"R-Mr. Mustang carried me home last night…I fell asleep at the fireworks show, and I came into his room once I woke up, I just wanted to thank him." She rushed

Her mother's smile spread as she stated, "Well, that was very sweet of you, Mr. Mustang. Would you like to come down for some breakfast now?"

They both nodded in unison. Mrs. Hawkeye laughed and walked out calling back to them, "Come down in a couple minutes, I'll have it set out for you two."

The door closed again and Roy and Riza looked to each other. Riza rose with that, still looking at him and told him with a fluster in her cheeks, "Sorry that I threw you off before…I just got scared."

He smiled and replied, "It's okay…I got scared too."

She held her dress at her knees, her fingers curling over, inwardly. She was fiddling with her frills as she moved her gaze to her hands. She wanted to cry. She was upset that her mother interrupted what would've been her first kiss with the only boy she ever wanted.

She was embarrassed at having thrown him across his bed and smashed his head into his bedpost. She was angry with herself for not being brave enough to tell him how she feels and she was nervous that he thought her pushing him off of her was a sign that she didn't want him to kiss her.

She turned around angrily fighting off the frustrated tears that begged at her. She faced the door and said, "I'll see you downstairs in a couple minutes."

His eyebrows were raised and his mouth was loose and he couldn't make any sentences. He was trying to put words together that would make sense, but there was nothing that came to him.

"Yeah…" he nearly whispered to her as she walked out of the room.

He collapsed back onto his bed. The curve of his palm that led to his wrist was planted firmly over his inward eyebrows. A frown was etched darkly into his features as he cursed himself for reasons he could not trail. He was angry, frustrated and unexplainably sad. No, no, no, this isn't right! He should be pushing her away from him, so that she doesn't get attached and doesn't join the military—not lying in his bed half-naked with her, not kissing her in her sleep, not admiring her silhouette undressing from her balcony window every night!

This wasn't right!

He had to fix this…tragedy…he couldn't love her…he had to stop…but…but could he stop?

He dressed and went down to the breakfast table with the Hawkeye family. He found that he had grown used to her father's rough attitude towards him and the kindness and understanding that was Mrs. Hawkeye. And Ms. Hawkeye…well…he knew how he felt about her.

After they ate, Riza rose from the table and looked to him. She was begging him with her eyes, some message that didn't commute to him. She eventually grew tired of waiting for him to catch onto what she wanted with her desperate gaze and gripped his hand. She tore him out of his seat and wrenched him outside of the house with her. She went towards her father's working-garage and entered without Roy. She appeared again after a few short minutes and had retrieved fishing poles. She smiled her shy smile and blushed as she asked, "Come with me?"

He grinned, took one of the fishing poles and walked after her lead. The sky that day was growing gloomy and mercilessly threatening the two adolescents thunder and rain. Roy was admiring Riza's profile as she spoke to him words that he couldn't recall. He was captured in her beauty while she spoke, but he knew it was no excuse when she looked to him and asked, "Right?"

He blushed wildly and fervently answered, "Y-Yerr-n-no? Ah…sorry, what?"

Instead of the glare he predicted, she laughed and asked, "You weren't listening?"

He smiled softly, appreciating greatly the lack of anger. He told her then, "Sorry…I'm just…stupid like that."

Her eyes softened and to his surprise he felt her hand wrap around his as she replied to him quietly, "You aren't stupid…you just have to learn to listen more carefully."

He hummed in agreement as they came to a stop at a dock. She gripped his hand a little tighter as she dragged him off to the dock. They came to the end of it where a small boat waited bobbing for them, tied to the post of the dock. She smiled, looking to him and instructed, "Get in."

He nodded once and lowered himself down into the boat. He placed his pole down with the bucket of worms she had passed him then set his arm out to her. He was lifting his hand, encouraging her to grip it. She, flattered, bowed in and told him in a comical British accent, "Oh, why thank you, Sir."

He chuckled, bowing with his folded arm over his stomach as he replied, "You're very welcome, Madame."

She laughed again before leaning a little on his hand, then clambering on to the boat. They rattled the boat as they struggled with seven different fish that got away. At one point in the fishing outing, Roy was standing on the boat pulling on a fish, and a strong one at that. He was pulling with all of his might and Riza was cheering him on.

He was getting nowhere, she noticed, so she gripped his waist tightly. One of her arms curled up onto his chest, and another wrapped around his abdomen. She pulled back, hoping this would make their side stronger, but the feel of her forcefully thrusting her and her round, soft orbs against him only proved to make him fluster, get nervous and falter.

Their side weakened and he realized he couldn't compose himself. That's when the fish let go. He and Riza went flying backwards, their arms flailing allowing them to only let escape two yelps. When he opened his eyes which closed in anticipation of pain, he realized he was in no pain whatsoever, but quite in comfort.

He saw, then, exactly what he was lying on. His cheek, he found, was in the deep crevasse of her chest. He slowly moved from this place, half in bewilderment, half in admiration. He rose his cherry face to meet her own. They awkwardly got up, laughing and brushing themselves off.

But after many hours it began to drizzle on them. Riza raised her hand, her palm facing the grey sky. She smiled and said to Roy, "We should get out of here."

He looked back at her, his black eyes sending her an agreement. They gathered their things and paddled as fast as they could back to the dock. By the time they had made it to the dock, though, it was raining so hard that their clothes and hair were plastered onto them. They ran onto the dock and back onto the muddy trail, laughing and screaming. They had left their things behind, but Riza did not seem to care much, and honestly, neither did Roy.

They had finally made it back to the house. They were laughing, jumping and screaming in the rain in the front yard. She stopped, turned to him and bowed, outstretching the sides of her dress in a curtsy as she yelled over the rain in her previous accent, "May I have this dance?"

He raised his eyebrows, but lowered his eyelids and pursed his lips as he folded his arm over his stomach again, bowed and replied, "Why of course, Madame!"

They laughed as they bounced around, holding each other's hands. It was the first time in what seemed to be an eternity that Roy found himself feeling childish, light and free. For God's sake, he was spinning in a dancing circle in the rain. What was more—he wasn't even upset that it was raining!

They were running around the front yard when they both went toppling over; slipping over the glossy grass. They went tumbling down the hill, gripping to each other, laughing out hysteric curses. When the twirling and rolling came to a stop, Roy opened his apparently closed eyes to see himself on top of Riza. He looked to her groaning in exaggerated pain with a large grin on her chin.

He laughed with her as the rain hit them more forcefully. His eyes, though, froze. He was watching her eyes open from their squinting pose that struck when she laughed. Her long, dark eyelashes held diamonds of raindrops, and the skin on her face glistened, soaked beneath her plastered, silky hair. Her glassy, dark chocolate eyes pulled his gaze tighter.

He was still lying on top of her, feeling no energy to pick himself up off of her. Her golden strings that hung thickly from her, lacing through the dark green grass beneath them. Her soft hands were curled on her chest, having been holding her chest in hysterical laughter. Her features were flustered and her white, soaked dress was revealing more of her than she realized. That, though, was one of the last things on his mind.

He moved his strong arm to the underside of her ribs, slightly under her breast. He slid his left hand, then slowly over her pumping chest, over the lift of her collarbone, then to the side of her neck. He rose then, slightly, to hover over her. He held his face over hers, letting only a water droplet part their noses.

Her eyes were low, and he was hoping that at any moment she would object to him acting on his emotions. Although, he also hoped that she would wrap her arms around him and encourage him to continue. The red that filled both their cheeks burned, as he lowered his lips, slowly, down to hers. Rain layering over their skin and clothes, the grey skies casting white shadows over them.

He finally reached her, and he felt the electricity shoot through him like an avalanche. There was a race in his heart like a thousand stallions, and the drumming of his blood pulsing through him like lightening striking the Earth. His nerves tingled as did hers, and the very feeling of her arms reaching over his shoulder and pulling him closer to her made him groan into her throat.

It vibrated through her like a calling for more. She sat up underneath him, and he followed suit so that he wouldn't have to break from her. They sat on their knees, her hands caressing his face encouragingly, brokenly pulling him closer to her. Their positions on each other's lips always changing, forgetting their fear of the crashing thunder and lightening. Their lips and tongues played along each other until they broke the kiss to catch breath. He was leaning in to kiss her again when he felt her palm spread over his chest in protest.

He glanced to her hand on his chest, then to her. He felt the great pit of nervousness, worry and rejection rising into his chest and throat. He looked to her, refusing to brush aside the black jungle his watered eyes hid behind.

"Roy…if you don't…"

His eyes widened in anticipation as he asked, "If I don't what?"

"Roy…" she began again, looking to the ground next to her feet. Her eyebrows were turned inward, her frown clearly shown from her kiss-swollen lips. Her eyelashes lowered, implying that no matter what, she would not look to him.

"Do you…do you lo—"

She was cut off, though, by a familiar voice,

"Roy? Riza?"

"Koji?" Roy asked in shocked worry

Koji looked disgusted, as if he had witnessed a murder. He was holding an umbrella over himself as he asked sharply, "What are you two doing out here?"

Roy wanted to ask if Koji had seen Roy kissing Riza, but couldn't compose himself. Roy simply answered him,

"We were running…we slipped and fell…I was just making sure she was okay."

Koji could clearly tell it was a lie, if it was because he had seen Roy kiss Riza, or he could see by the tone of his voice, Roy didn't know. But they gathered themselves and walked back to the house in silence.

**Hey, hopefully I'll get more up tomorrow or something, I hope you guys like it…ehh…kind of sad at the end, but hopefully it didn't ruin it for you guys! **


	13. Chapter 13: Seeing

Roy was glancing at her beside him every two moments. He didn't know exactly what he was expecting her to say or do, but she did not notice. She seemed to be distracted with sadly watching Koji's back. Roy's mind raced with nothingness. There was nothing there, being said or heard but he felt anxious and overwhelmed.

He had kissed her. Kissed her? Right when he was supposed to be pushing her away from him? No, he's supposed to be getting out of her life, not making it more complicated! Roy Mustang made this a tragedy, it's his fault, and it's his job to cast away any emotions that would pull her closer to him. He certainly knew…he certainly knew that he never kissed her when they were young…was he making this tragedy even more tragic?

What was she going to ask him? He only had one more day left and he was at a complete loss, he had no understanding for what he was supposed to do. He was angry that he couldn't accomplish anything while he was here…could he? Could he, now that he had taken her all the way down? Could he…could he break away now?

…just that thought made his eyes pain with tears. The flesh underneath his dripping eyelashes burned with sorrow. He felt that rise in his throat, as if he was about to burst into pieces, but he fought off that urge…just as he had for all those years. As he was approaching the house alongside of Riza and Koji with the pouring rain being the only thing that kept it from being deadly silent.

He wanted to hold her again, as he admired the slick, glossy, thick mops of golden hair that fell of Riza's forehead. He could still taste her sugary kiss on his lips; he could still feel her wet body moving against his. He could clearly remember the feeling of her soft tongue trying to dominate his; he could sense the pulse below his abdomen when she pulled him closer and he could feel the roused or perhaps cold hills that pressed against his ches---

"What's wrong?" Riza asked worriedly

Roy had stumbled; he had closed his eyes, remembering the exciting ordeal and tripped. He brushed himself off coolly, not that it made any difference with the condition of wet he was in. He blinked a few times quickly, trying to let the raindrops fall from his darkened eyelashes before he opened his eyes fully to reply, "I-I'm fine, nothing really, probably just nicked my foot on a rock or something."

Riza was giving him a strange, but worried look. He loved to know she was concerned about him. He wanted to know what she was going to ask him before Koji interrupted one of the most earth-shatteringly important moments of his life. He wished he could recall the first sounds or movements her lips had made before she was talked over.

It was funny, the way his muscles tinged with tired pain, his energy ran through him like something dead and dragged, his vision blurring in and out from lack of rest; his blood pushing through him, feeling thick as ink from the constant running and dancing. And his heart…feeling like a hunk of lead that's taken the form of a speedy metronome.

His skin felt foreign and loose. His eyes felt light and smaller than usual, like an infinite onyx universe shoved into a small vase millions of miles away, looking out at the gloomy scene. There was a funny feeling in his stomach as they reached the door; the butterflies flew. The butterflies!

"Riza, what about the butterflies?" he asked with much more worried emotion than he meant

She gasped, seemingly pushing aside the memory of their tragic kiss and their dark encounter/interruption with Koji. She ran into the house and called out, "Mother! What should I do about the butterflies with all of this rain?!"

Her mother arrived into view from the end of the hall, coming from the dining room. She was circling her closed hand which held a small cloth that cleaned off a china plate. The blonde woman sighed in thought as she looked up, tilted to the ceiling and replied,

"I suppose you wait for a few minutes. Your father says we'll be under the eye of this storm in about ten minutes. You should open the door a few seconds before the eye hits us…then they can follow it and stay dry until the rain stops."

Riza smiled gallantly and chirped, "Thanks, Mom!"

To Koji's disgusted shock she turned, gripped Roy's slippery wrist and pulled him back out of the house with her. Koji followed, rejecting the grey, loud, harsh droplets with his umbrella. Roy blushed, completely caught off guard that she would still want to keep him around after their strange experience.

"Roy, you have a watch?" she asked suddenly, yelling under the pounding rain

"Watch? N-no, I don't carry a watch!" He yelled back

She very abruptly stopped running and whipped around, still, unknowingly, holding his wrist, therefore thrusting his body onto hers. Chest-to-chest she locked her fingers through his and tightened her hold as she told him, "Come with me, then, Dumb-Dumb!"

He blushed more wildly as he passed by Koji's aggravated expression. Her soft, soaked hold on his was reassuring and comforting. It made him fill with that dancing electricity he felt when he kissed her. They reached a first-floor window that was open, but still a couple of feet off the ground.

Riza looked to Roy pleadingly as she asked, "Lift me, Roy?"

"Lift you?" Roy and Koji asked in unison

"Roy, just lift me!" she called impatiently over the rain

He twitched nervously at her aggravated tone he knew so well. He watched her walk around to his back and snap, "Lift me!"

He leaned down, then, fit her legs through the loops of his arms and felt her climb over his shoulders to the window. She found that it was locked, though, in a way she could unhook it. Her shoeless feet's bridge balancing on his shoulders. He looked up to ask why she was taking so long with the lock when he realized he was staring right up past her drenched legs, to her soaked, white underwear.

He blushed furiously, his heart started pounding. He felt like he was looking at something he shouldn't be seeing, but he couldn't look away. His eyes were concentrated on the rounded hill that was smoothly, double-skinned by her wet coating of her underwear. He suddenly felt Koji let his umbrella take a blow at the back of Roy's head. Roy looked back to growl and glare, but he realized Koji may have saved him from awkwardly explaining an inevitable tent that was sure to arrive on him.

He was relieved, though, to feel her weight lifted off of his shoulders as she crawled into her father's room. She hopped down from the windowsill and snatched his watch. She ran back and jumped down. It was a jump she would've survived no matter what, but Roy was so caught off guard by her stunt that he jumped to the ground to break her fall.

She landed clumsily on his stomach. He groaned in pain as her bottom hit his stomach with falling force. She gasped and leaned over, running her soft hand down his cheek as she asked, "Oh my goodness, Roy, are you okay?"

He smiled at the touch; she was concerned about him again. He blushed and replied, "I-I'm fine, Riza…really, don't worry on it."

She seemed reluctant to take that answer, but Koji shot, "Isn't there something going on with butterflies that we need to take care of?!"

Riza stood and held her hand out to Roy. He gripped it firmly as she helped him off the ground and they ran off to the shed where they saw through the little window that the butterflies were all accounted for, and would fly out the moment the door was opened. Riza told her Roy then, "Keep an eye on the watch, once we've got twenty seconds tell me."

He nodded positively. He was watching the thin red hand move swiftly in it's circle. Absently moving across the numbers, to him, meaninglessly. This time had already passed for Roy…there was no future for Roy, not without her, not without this. There was nothing beyond this if there was nothing accomplished by the passed tomorrow.

Roy finally realized there was fifteen seconds until the eye would reach them. He opened his mouth and looked to Riza was looking to him as the harsh rain turned to drizzle. She seemed to already know, as she let her gaze move to the space beyond her. Roy looked off in the direction she looked; it was like a small, rotating void in the smoky sky. Twisting some invisible tornado.

Roy suddenly felt a flutter by him and looked to see the shed's door open. The butterflies had all flown out and were soaring off towards the eye of the storm. Roy was watching in wonder as the last crystals of rain seemed to freeze where they were as the patterned, graceful insects flew past. Her golden hair was thrust towards the direction in which they shot off, her dark eyes watching in compassionate amazement.

Then the watch within his palm began to sing a familiar, happy tune…and he knew it was time for him to give her some space.

He looked to the white and yellow lights that escaped the small eye of the terrible storm wash over the beautiful girl. Looking to her, her dress and hair wafting gracefully, grey all around the white, warm light that hit her like a spotlight, the transparent diamonds residue of rain falling around her…he felt small and insignificant. He didn't deserve her, and he knew it…he never deserved something as beautiful as this feeling…

So strong that it was indescribable, flooding through him like something so gigantic that he couldn't trace it even if he tried; like trying to follow where the sky began and ended. Gazing at her, he felt like for a moment he could see a glimpse of eternity, something colossal and never-ending. Her golden hair thick and silky from the buckets of water that gathered there reminding him of the golden pins that hung from his blue uniform.

Her constant fluster reminding him of endless floods of roses. Her small waist reminding him of a small ballerina, and her soft voice reminding him of the songbird in his heart that sang to him whenever he was near her. There was nothing he deserved here…nothing. Not her, not the jealousy of his old friend, not the power of alchemy, not the fluster he produced on her, not the loss of words to describe his feelings for her. There was nothing here for him.

Perhaps that's all it took. Maybe this Elians woman wanted to teach him of his insignificance; and maybe…maybe he needed to honestly know what it was like to feel and understand that you are undeserving of the beautiful things you have. He moved his gaze from her and instead replaced it with the butterflies flying off into the opening of the eye.

Yes…it was time to give her some space.

That night Roy snuck out of his bedroom to go talk to his invisible coworkers. The last day was approaching and he needed to plan something out with them. Form some kind of concoction of words that would be as apologetic and honest as Roy needed them to be to tell how sorry he was for playing with her heart. Playing with her heart…when he really knew all along…that this wasn't for him…

He found that Ed was the only one to be awake as he approached the sleeping group.

"How did you like your day, Roy?" Ed asked, nonchalant

"Today's our last day." Roy announced absently, ignoring the question

"You mean it's 'your' last day…you're the only one who can move around and talk to them."

Roy just narrowed his eyes at the lone situation he was in. That's when the morning light began to break over them from the hill. The light felt as though it was frozen there for a moment, though…as if the sun had stopped climbing over the hill…

Roy looked up to see Therapon looking at him and Ed. Ed was going to wake the others when Therapon spoke out in her monotone, "One's realization must not by tampered by another's philosophy…leave them here."

Ed's expression was drawn as shocked and confused. Roy, though, was collect though angry looking. He growled at Therapon then, "What? What are you going to show me now? I want to go back and save Riza, but—"

"Learned lessons are worthless if not exercised." Therapon told him

Roy cocked an eyebrow as she gripped Ed and Roy. They sank down into the bright pool to open their eyes in the dark rain. They were looking through the window of a café where sat Winry and Riza. They seemed to be carrying on a normal conversation as Roy, Ed and Therapon walked through the wall and stood next to the two women.

"Riza…I've got…a really big problem, and I was hoping, as a grown woman you'd be able to help me." Winry asked suddenly

Riza blushed, settling her spoon down as she knit her brows together in concern.

"I'll try." Riza told her

"Okay…well…I love someone, who…who doesn't notice me the way I want him to, and…he's always gone too long and he never stays home for more than two minutes and-"

"You can call him Edward around me, Winry." Riza interrupted slyly

"So you know?" Winry asked sadly

Roy looked to Ed, to see he was wide-eyed and blushing furiously.

"Yes, most of the office can tell…for someone so smart, Ed really is very dumb." Riza explained

"So what can I do?"

"Winry…I love someone I can't love either, and I know how it feels…"

That statement caught Roy's attention and he moved his look from Ed, quickly over to the woman speaking to Ed's unspoken love.

Winry looked up to Riza with a sparkling curiosity…

"All you can do is support them and do what you can from a distance…but you guys are so young and have so much time…you should really tell Ed how you feel about him." Riza finished

Winry blushed furiously and stammered, "N-No! I-I couldn't! He'd never-"

"Now, you don't know anything for sure." Riza stated as she took in a spoonful of vanilla ice-cream.

"What about you? Why can't you tell the person you love how you feel?" Winry asked

"I don't think…he cares for me that way, and even if he did…circumstances keep us apart." Riza finished looked down at her little dish.

"It's the Colonel, isn't it?"

"W-WHAT? WHY WOULD I…WHO COULD…" Riza was alarmed and blushing wildly as Winry smirked at her and added,

"Come on, I'm not 'that' dumb! That's so sweet! So you've slept with him?" Winry egged Riza on

Ed and Roy were both cherry red at Winry's abrupt and inappropriate question.

Riza blushed more wildly, "W-what?! No of course no-"

"Did he rise from his desk and look at you sitting at yours and you held a romantic gaze and then he threw himself on you, right there on your desk?!"

"WHAT?! WHAT IN ALL OF HELL ARE YOU TAL-"

"Then were you standing by him when he rose darkly and shot you his killer smile and threw you against the wall and took you?!"

"WINRY-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU-"

"Oh my God! It was on the floor?!"

"NO! WINRY! LISTEN TO ME!"

Winry went silent with a cute smile and stated softly, "Okay."

If it weren't for the curiosity of what would happen next, Ed would have fainted.

Riza sighed and breathed out,

"I haven't ever slept with the Colonel…for goodness sake…"

Winry frowned and asked, "…why?"

Riza just glared at her, and Winry got the point to back off. She smiled, though and told Riza,

"I'm glad I can talk to you like this."

Riza smiled softly and settled her spoon down next to her dish and replied, "Me too."

Therapon then looked to the both them. She smiled at Ed and stated, "I thought you should know."

Ed looked up to the transparent woman and smiled. Now that the most shocking piece of the puzzle was complete…he felt relief in his heart…for he had finally heard what he hoped she felt for him all of this time. He was suddenly filled with childish excitement that he would see Winry tomorrow, at the end of the day. Even though it was Roy's last chance and Ed had a feeling Roy would find a way to mess it up, he was still filled with happiness.

Therapon then gripped Roy's arm tightly. Roy looked to her, she seemed pained as she whispered, "There is one more thing…you must see."

He was curious and somewhat disappointed that he still hadn't gotten any epiphany from these memories. They were surrounded by light and then…

He looked and he was on Riza's old house, on her roof top. The sunlight was still breaking over the horizon, it was warm and summery. He realized that Riza was on the roof top, looking out at Roy walking off over the hill…it was the day he left…

He saw Riza's father walk over to her and watch Roy walk with her.

"Will he be okay?" Riza asked, concerned

"Hmm?"

"Will he be okay, out there? Fighting wars and all of that?" Riza repeated

"…everyone needs protection, darling…he's quite powerful…and he's a sharp kid…he'll go far, but it usually turns out that the people with more power are the ones who need the most protection…we just have to hope he finds that in the government." Her father told her

Riza's eyebrows knit again as she asked, "What if…one day I told you I wanted to join the military, Daddy?"

He looked to her with raised eyebrows, and she returned the look. His features relaxed as he asked, "…why?"

"Daddy, I want to join the military."

Her father nearly gulped as he shot, "Why?!"

"There's someone I need to protect…"

Her father's angered expression melted into one of sympathetic understanding. He looked down to his daughter, seeming as though he had seen some unknown truth.

"You 'do' have a lovely aim." He told her

She smiled and hugged her father as she ran back into the house calling for her mother, asking her to show her where they kept the guns. Her father's back turned to the door that led to the roof as he looked out to the sunlight bathing the town far off. He sighed…

Roy and Ed looked to each other. Roy, though, wasn't really seeing anything when he looked. It was as if his body was in shock…

"_Thank you…Roy, but…I joined the force to protect someone dear to me, and I will not quit. Because when…when I quit…it will mean, that I've given up all that I can do for that person, which isn't a lot. I can't ever seem to do anything for them, because I can't do what I want…so I do little things here and there to help them, but…but it's never enough…and it's never going to be enough for me."_

It was him…all along…

His heart sank as he found himself back outside the front of her house, with the break of dawn setting back into motion. Havoc and Fuery snoring loudly, as Therapon bowed to Roy and disappeared. Roy looked to Ed and asked, "Does she protect you?"

"Nah…she throws wrenches at me, actually." Ed replied, looking off towards this hill

"In a way, that's protection, I suppose." Roy said absently

Ed cocked an eyebrow and asked, "How do you think?"

Roy smiled and replied, "It's not physical protection, but…maybe it's her way of showing you that time to time you become something you aren't…I think she's trying to protect you from being something bad."

Ed smiled softly and murmured, "I suppose so…what about you? Does Riza throw guns at you?"

Roy felt a smirk coming on as he told him, "No, but you'd be surprised at how many times she's threatened to kill me."

Ed smiled as they watched the sun climb onto them.

"That's protection in a way too, I suppose."


	14. Chapter 14: Teaching

The final day was here. Was he saving her? Was he doing what he was meant to do? Was he fixing this tragedy or making it worse? How…how much would life change with how much he's altered their pasts?

…that thought made him worry…

He was sitting next to Ed. Ed had been chuckling under his breath all day, smiling wide, even humming. Ed's ecstasy was a bother to Roy; he was immensely jealous to see some punk had a healthier, easier love life than he, Roy Mustang, the most-wanted bachelor.

"Edward."

Ed stopped his humming of an old love song to look to the colonel. Ed's smile wide and curled as he asked, "Hmm?"

"What am I doing?"

Ed cocked an eyebrow as he sat down next to Roy, who sat crouched on the grass. Ed looked to his metallic arm and told Roy,

"Whatever you need to do…Roy…after all of this time…being away for so long, messing up her automail constantly, making her worry, and cry and…even when I wasn't there…she loved me…and trying to keep it from being a burden to me…I just…I don't know how I couldn't love her…I think…somewhere deep down…I always knew…and I knew all along that I…"

Roy glanced to Ed at the trail off of his statement, "You knew how you felt about her all along and you didn't say anything?"

Ed glared with a blush as he snarled, "Like you're any better than me."

Roy sighed and added, "I suppose you're right…would you have told her if you didn't see that?"

Ed looked up to the sky before answering softly, "I don't think I had a choice in the matter…cause, no one's more perfect for me than Winry…I don't think I could ever let my life go by without…her."

Roy's eyebrows were knit inwardly, perhaps in concentration or pain. Edward…he wasn't too complex or twisted emotionally deep inside like him. He was simple…he simply couldn't go on without the girl he loved. Could he go on without Riza? No, Roy, that's a terrible thought…but could he? Could he really go on without her? His heart gave him an answer…but he didn't want to think on it.

"Do you think she's dead? Do you think one of the homunculi killed her?" Roy asked, innocently, sounding somewhat childish

Ed cocked an eyebrow, hiding his partially opened lips behind his crossed arms as he replied,

"I don't think she'd allow herself to die without you understanding…"

Roy looked up to Full metal and asked, "Understanding?"

"How she felt."

Roy looked back at the ground, the unfamiliar length of his black hair tickling the back of his ears and brushing across his forehead. Some thick strands fell across his dark eyes, and some inwardly-curled black hairs spiraled against his cheeks. Understand? Did he not understand? Could he not comprehend her feelings? No, Roy Mustang was no fool. He could see she was…troubled…infatuated…intrigued…there were too many words to his disposal to choose just one. This is what she felt…it's what she felt…

He suddenly recalled all of the blurry memories of her laughing across the diner table from him; looking shocked at Winry's sudden questions; her smiling at him on the other side of his desk. The glances she sent him from her desk, sifting through her papers; the way she would rise from her seat and hold a comforting gaze with him as he walked towards his coat rack. How just one glance to her in what seemed to be an unbearable downturn…how he felt…lifted from his burdens…

That sparkle in her eye…was she looking at life through troubled eyes? Infatuated senses? Intrigued lenses? Or…was she blind? Blind to all other senses, feelings and simply thinking of only him? Did she think of him day and night? Did she daydream of him even as he sat a few feet away in the office? Did she doodle his name in hearts? Did she dream of him at night and think of him all day? Did she think of what he would say before she made all of her decisions? Did she compare him to all other men? Or…perhaps that was only him…

"She was right, you know." Roy suddenly spoke out to Edward

Ed looked to Roy as the sunlight breathed against them.

"Who was right about what?" Ed asked curiously

"Riza…you two have…a lot of time…"

Ed blushed at the thought of Winry's cheery smile. His eyes lowered, "I don't think…"

"What? You were going off about how you couldn't live without her a moment ago?"

Ed looked taken aback as he fell back on his palms. His eyes lowered again and he felt the worry and anxiety pounce in his heart again…just as it had millions of times before when he thought of Winry…

"I don't…I don't know if I deserve her…I don't know if I deserve her love…" Ed finally admitted

Roy looked to Ed with a lighter expression. Instead of viewing Full Metal as the private he was to Colonel Mustang…he looked to Ed as…as a son.

"Edward…you don't deserve her love. I don't deserve Riza's…care…Havoc doesn't deserve friends, Al doesn't deserve you as a brother…no one in this world deserves love, Edward, because we're all far too ugly inside for such a beautiful thing, but in all of us, as there is dark, there is light…and forgiveness…and this ugly, pitiful world full of ugly, pitiful people…is full of love for our imperfections and undeserving nature and that…"

He looked to Edward's sparkling eyes and finished, "That is why…she found some great light in you…that she could find in no one else…Edward, you should be honored to carry such a light within you…and the honor you carry is what makes you deserving of that light and its effect."

Ed smiled; he looked to the young man sitting next to him. His dark hair illuminating a light brown as the sunlight hugged him, his shirt wrinkling as he held his knees to his chest. His eyes held something Edward had never seen in an older man that looked down unto him…he hoped it was the look of a proud father bestowing wisdom onto his son. Roy Mustang had changed…he was warmer…

"Thank you."

Roy smiled reassuringly and replied, "You're welcome, Edward."

They looked to each other and both silently acknowledged the change in their energies towards each other. There was something new and interesting there. Something that would never be lost between them, now that it was born.

"Roy! It's breakfast time, what are you doing out there?"

Roy and Ed looked to the front door, though the blonde girl standing in the doorway could only truly see the young Roy. Roy looked beside him to Edward and nodded silently with a smile. He rose and called back, "Sorry…couldn't sleep."

She smiled with a blush, gripping the frills at the bottom of her dress. Her thin fingers curled around the frills, pulling her night dress a little above her knees. He ran to her and stood tall in front of her, rubbing the back of his head in humble endearment.

"Heh…yeah, sorry…I just…couldn't sleep last night…"

"So…so what have you been doing out here all night?" she asked curiously

"Um…" _…thinking about you… _"Just thinking…"

She gave him that Hawkeye smile that always told him she meant something other than what she was about to say.

"You're good at that."

He cocked an eyebrow; he examined the thin hairs that fell absently over her forehead, along her cheek and slid over her shoulders. He asked then, "Sorry?"

"Good…you're good at covering up your trouble."

"Trouble?"

"Regret."

"…why would you thin-"

But before he could say anything he felt her small arms wrapping around him. He blushed and felt his heart race under her touch. He finally stuttered, "W-what are yo-"

"You don't have to go it alone, okay? Just…if you can't sleep…come to my room…I want you to know that…you don't have to bear it alone…okay?"

He leaned his chin softly down onto her shoulder, his eyes lowered as he let his strong arms crawl up her back and pull her closer to him. He closed his eyes, brushing his cheek against her neck, breathing in her sugary sweet scent as he replied, "Alright."

He felt her tighten around him as the warm sunlight seemed to as well. He wanted to cry, the warmth of the sun washing over him, her sugary scent wafting into his nostrils, her velvet touch holding tight onto him, her silk hair brushing against his strong hands, her bleeding heart beating against his, her love for him…radiating off of her like some fatal illness he couldn't avoid. He was content here, he was happy here, in her loving arms.

"Ms. Riza…I care for you…"

At that, she broke away from him to look to him with wide eyes, sparkling, begging him to continue…

He looked into her honey eyes as he continued, "Deeply…I care for you, Ms. Riza…more deeply…than…" he looked to the floor, shutting his eyes tightly, fighting the tears, "More deeply than I should…"

"Than you should?"

He opened his eyes to the naïve sound in her voice, he looked to his feet and appreciated the burning in his throat…

"I shouldn't feel this way for you, Ms. Riza…it's…it's a fire within my chest that won't give out, and I stutter when I think of you and I get butterflies in my stomach when I see you and when I'm with you I don't understand how I get on with life when you're not beside me…and…"

He looked to her watering eyes…

"I shouldn't feel this way…"

She finally asked through a scratchy voice, "W-why?"

"It isn't in my place to…feel this way towards you…"

She gripped the collar of his shirt tightly as she cried out, "B-but, I feel that s-same way! I never want to be without you!"

He looked away again, unable to look into her watering eyes. He hated to see her weak and in pain, it was unlike the Riza he knew.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Riza…"

"Please! Roy!" She cried

He suddenly felt her shaking hands grip his cheeks and force him against her lips. His heart bled painfully, his throat stung and his brain screamed with regret. His body cried for hers and his tears fell blankly down his cheeks, over her hands as he gripped her under-jaw, pulling her closer to him. Letting him work his lips more openly against hers, letting him taste her and release the pent up explosion of emotion.

He broke away, though, angry with himself. He still felt her hands on his cheeks, his hands remaining on her jaw as well. They gazed at each other, the pain in her eyes pierced him like knives punching through his body, but they were so beautiful that he simply couldn't look away. He felt her tears run down his fingers as she whimpered behind a sob to him, "God, I love you, Roy…"

He blushed at the words…

"I love you so hard, Roy…it hurts." She sobbed to him

He leaned down and captured her lips in his again, their arms and hands running against each other hungrily, desperately.

_I love you…Riza…I love you too._

Between the kisses he muttered to her, "I can't."

He kissed her again, and she accepted it again…

"Really, Riza…"

Again, he kissed her and she kissed him back…

"Riza, I want to…"

They kissed…

"I can't, Riza…"

And they kissed…

"I know…" she told him

They kissed once more before she turned on her heel and ran into the house, concealing her face in her hands…

This was what was best for her…right?

**Sorry for the delay, you guys, I was in Florida for a while and stuffers like that…but…I promise I'll work hard to be faster. Lol, hope you guys like your new chapter…honestly, I'm not happy with it at all…but I figured I had made you guys wait long enough so I wasn't going to re-write it. -- So…sorry if it sucks…lol, anywho, thanks for the PMs and reviews! All are greatly appreciated, you guys are great! 3**


	15. Chapter 15: Ending

**It's the end, guys! Hope you enjoyed the ride! It was so much fun to write, the support in reviews and PMs was amazing, thank you guys so much! You've all really been great, thank you all so so so so so so so much for the support! It's appreciated greatly! So here's your finale, hope you guys enjoy it, and cheers to not another ending, but a new beginning!**

Roy's back was to his closed bedroom door, he slid down pathetically onto the floor, holding his knees to his chest. His heart ached, his throat burned, his eyes tightened with tears and his lips missed Riza's. One of his legs let loose and fell flatly on the wood floor panels, and his forearm sat on his knee. He rested his pounding forehead on the front of his hand and silently cried.

This was it then? Right back to square one? Right back to never being able to love the only woman he's ever wanted? Right back to only being able to admire her from afar, only being able to take her to lunch-never to dinner. Right back to thinking of her all day and dreaming of her all night, but unable to say a word; right back to dating women who could never take her place. Right back to catching her loving gaze across his desk, but unable to accuse her of anything other than sending him a friendly glance; right back…to life without her love…

He wanted to die at that thought. His heart croaked and his mind swirled with pain and confusion. Why? Why couldn't he just get this right? Would Time let him re-do his tragedy more than once? Or would Time give up on him? Did Time truly feel sympathetic or was he playing some sick game with Roy's troubling emotions? Who was Time? What was Time? Why did everyone crave Time so much? To right what they've wronged? To heal? To laugh? To cry?

…to love?

If that was true, then time was precious to different people for different reasons. If Riza had never been in Roy's life, he may have killed himself long before this day. Perhaps he wanted Time, and Time knew this somehow…maybe Roy wanted Time more than anyone in this world, but hadn't realized it. Maybe Roy wanted Time…and Time wanted Roy.

Maybe his love was desperate, so full, so hungry, so evolved and pulsating that Time gave itself to him. Gave him what he needed, what he secretly wanted…or maybe he never wanted it in the first place, and Time was trying to tell him how much he really wanted it, how much his heart needed it…

His heavy eyes looked to his clutched fingers, and for some reason, one he couldn't place, he released them from their tense hold on each other. His smooth nails ran down the skin of his palm, and Roy felt relaxed as he breathed out deeply. Some black hairs fell over his ear as he tilted his head, so his cheek met his shoulder. He examined his open hand as his tears silently fell down his cheeks, and he noted how he hadn't ever felt closer to despair.

He wondered if she was doing what he was. Sulking in her room, crying silently and admiring the silk flesh of her digits. He smiled to the lines on the core of his hand and he wondered how long he would live with this pain racing through his heart. At midnight, this final hour, on the fourth Time, he would disappear from this shell of his old self, and he would re-enter a familiar, but perhaps a drastically different world.

He wondered if he would kill himself a few years into returning to his home. If the pain etched into his heart would bleed so thickly that he would end it all. If this trip to the past would prove useless, and he would live in agonizing pain until he closed off everything he's ever known. The dew on the flowers and grass, the monarchs of summer, the fire from his snap, the awful grey rain he despised, the honey illusion singing in his heart when he melted into Riza's vision.

Would he envelope himself in the unknowing of the afterlife to escape the unbearable pain of having left behind everything he's ever wanted?

…yes…he believed he would.

He remembered all of the visuals of her turning towards him from her desk, of her hair wavering over her shoulder in the wind; her gaze moving towards him, her air around his blindfolded expression. He recalled the fluster in her cheeks at his romantic words, the beautiful swollen pink her lips took on when he kissed her fiercely. In all honesty, he hadn't felt anything as beautiful and real as the love he felt when he was near her, and the despair he felt when she was far.

Love had warmed him and sown all of the bad in with the good, filled his heart with so much to appreciate. It was like throwing a small hand-towel into the ocean, there was so much it was overwhelming. He felt filled to the brim when he was near her, overflowing with so much emotion and power, though at the same time he felt weak and confused. Spinning, sick but the healthiest he's felt in years.

His heart urged him to run out the door and find her, find her and hold her in his arms for the rest of time. He wanted to run his hands through her hair, and let his hands travel her body, memorizing every crease and curve. He wanted to taste her lips on his again, he wanted to hear her sing his name for the rest of his life, and he wanted to fall asleep with her under his hold. He wanted to die in her embrace; he wanted to sink into her and everything she was to him.

The world felt so much more beautiful when she was near, so much more full. The grass looked greener, the sky looked bluer, the clouds whiter, the fire more vibrant and warm. The wind felt more caressing, the rain felt lighter, his responsibilities he carried felt less stressing; the simple breeze pushing leaves across the autumn ground thrilled him when she was with him. When he closed his eyes, he felt her pulling him closer.

He could feel her smooth hands sliding up his neck, holding him to her. His lips gathering hers. The fluster in his cheeks, the racing of his full-up heart; the tingles riding up his spine and neck, running down his arms and legs and capturing him in the ecstasy she meant to him. He felt her in his arms, her body against his in warm symphony.

Roy felt aged at heart, though when he was with her, he felt young. At that thought he actually felt himself dying. Quite quickly at that. Everything in this world was going somewhere. Everyone in this world was dying. Every day they got a day closer to death, to the unknown, to something no one could ever begin to understand. He wondered then, if he was kissing Riza and someone came up to him and asked him to be the Führer…would he leave her?

Would he go and become Führer? Would he leave her for everything he's fought for all of these years? For all of the torture he put himself through? Always working with her, growing closer through all of these years…perhaps…in all of this time, he never noticed…that he had been fighting…for her too…and she…protected him…

He opened his eyes to look up right in front of him; his hair bouncing at the sudden movement. Would he leave? Why didn't his mind tell him anything when he asked? Would he go? Would he leave her to become Führer? Would he go? Why didn't his mind tell him anything? Why did his heart sting and curl at the thought? Why did his ribs ache? Why did he want to cry when he asked it?

Is that just it? Would he give it all up for her? Does he want to cry for all of the people he killed, for all of the fights he fought, for all the girls he pushed aside, for all of the feelings he let die out, for all of the bad habits he let grow to only want her in the end? The infuriation grew to alarming levels, though so did the epiphytic happiness inside him.

When he went back…would he marry her? Would she still work for him? Would she still love him?

He suddenly felt a small vibration and the hard door pushed open, closing the space between him and the door; the metal handle hitting him so hard and quickly in the back of his head that he fell over…unconscious.

…he was dreaming…he was falling into a pool of light…

"Afternoon, Roy Mustang." Said Elians

He smiled at the familiar face; "Afternoon…where am I?"

"Your subconscious."

"Oh, of course." Roy replied under his breath

"You will depart at twenty-two hours, forty-three minutes and twenty-four point three seconds."

"What time will that be?" Roy asked, feeling sluggish suddenly

"That is twenty-four point three seconds into ten forty-three PM." Elians replied

"What time is it now, then?"

"It is forty-eight seconds into ten thirty-two PM." She said softly

His eyes nearly popped out they grew so wide, "W-what?! What am I doing here then?"

"You're unconscious, remember?"

"Well…well make me conscious again! There's something I've got to do before I go back to my own time!" He begged

"You have had four days." She narrowed her eyes

He was taken aback, but too in shock to form anything, his mouth simply hung open to her. He blinked repetitively before snapping,

"I want more time! Please!"

"Everyone craves Time for Time is the only thing they can't have."

He glared with tears forming in his eyes…Time was passing…and then he wouldn't be able to tell her what he wanted to so desperately…

"Please! Time gave me more, to help me, to heal me and there is something I need to do!"

She winced as she backed away a little and held her clutched hand to her transparent dress. He let his eyebrows release from their tight, inward position as he asked, "What's happening to you?"

She fell to her knees in what seemed pain as she told him, "You're waking…I shouldn't be here…"

"T-then go!"

She looked up to him and told him with a sad smile, "I will leave…but it will be painful…good luck, with your final actions, Roy Mustang."

He was about to reply, ask questions but everything began to deteriorate like snow around him. The white around him fell as he came to. He looked up to Riza's worried, worn expression. She had been crying long before seeing him. He opened his eyes to her as he heard her yelp,

"I'm so sorry, Roy, I came in here to get you to come down for dinner, I didn't know you were behind there and I wasn't aware your door was so light and…I'm sorry-"

He looked from her to a clock not so far away…

10:41…he only had two minutes left…

He gripped her shoulders suddenly, his weak arms feeling like rubber as he sat up a little and told her hastily,

"Listen to me now, Ms. Riza, this is important, you must listen to me, okay?"

She didn't nod, and looked somewhat alarmed at his sudden, tight hold on her shoulders, but seemed to accept what he requested.

"Listen, Ms. Riza, I feel something different from anything I've ever felt before when I'm near you…I need you to know that, I could never survive out there in that big world full of ugly, pitiful people without you. Without the protection you give me, Ms. Riza."

"Roy…" she began, but he hushed her

"No, listen, please…"

10:42

"Ms. Riza…"

Her tears began to fall as he said her name and he stopped to sigh, and admire her beauty…

"I know, you can't do it…you said it yourself and you were right…you shouldn't feel that way for someone who—"

"No, Ms. Riza…" he noticed he caught her surprised attention…

"I would give…anything…to spend the rest of my life with you…"

She blushed, smiled and laughed softly as her tears fell harder. He smiled at the pitiful sight, and asked her, "Okay? Do you understand?"

She nodded, still smiling…he did it again…sank into her honey eyes and couldn't escape…

He leaned upward and kissed her, desperately telling her how he felt without saying a word…

10:43…

A few seconds passed as he broke apart from her. He saw her smiling down unto him, then pain rushed through him like an avalanche. He winced…and closed his eyes, falling back into unconsciousness…

The white lights consumed him once more…next to him he saw Edward, Armstrong, Havoc and Fuery. He smiled to them, he was his older self again; Ed liked the sight if his familiar face smiling to them. Edward asked him then, "Did you do what you had to?"

Roy smiled and replied, "I think so."

Roy came to, his eyes flickered open. The first thing he gathered was that it was raining outside. Then he realized he was in a building, looking down at a brown desk…his desk…with his papers…he was back in the office?

He popped his head up to see Riza glaring at him. He backed away, nearly falling off of his chair at the sight…

"Roy! Stop falling asleep on the job!"

…she called him Roy? How informal for her…

"R-Riza?"

She let her hand sit on her hip as she popped in attitude and asked, "Yes?"

He asked her then, "Do you love me?"

He felt ashamed as she blushed deeply, as if never hearing the word love before…

"O-of course, Roy…are you okay?"

He smiled and stood, spreading his palm across the desk as he asked, "Really? You love me?"

She was taken aback and replied, "Yes, of course, Roy…are you seeing someone else or something? Should I know about something I don't?"

"Seeing someone—" He smiled even more gallantly

"I'm seeing you!?" He asked joyously

She seemed offended, "You've been seeing me for months, Roy! What's going on with you?!"

He smiled and captured her lips in his…

She was hesitant at first, but gave into his hungry kiss. She backed away, a little dazed as she asked, "What was that for? What's gotten into you?"

He grinned, overcome with joy…then Edward walked into his office…holding hands with his friend Winry…

Roy noticed the ring on Winry's hand and smiled…

He sighed as he looked to Edward's blushing, smiling features…and he felt, truly…that Time…was on his side.

**End**


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